


Finding Freedom

by Anonymous



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - Slavery, American Sign Language, Angst, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Slavery, nothing graphic though, nothing happens in the story though, somehow an actual plot developed, the title is incredibly uncreative
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:21:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 32,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23339833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: In an alternate universe, Rayla is a slave gifted to Prince Callum. But her new master is unlike any human she had ever met. Meanwhile, Callum is wondering why he's such a bad person that he can't even talk to this elf without terrifying her.From there, they somehow grow as individuals, learn to work together, and change the world for the better.Featuring: secret societies, many formal events, hidden opals, dangerous missions, and one relationship that was always meant to be.Please note: despite the tags, nothing is portrayed graphically, and the focus of the story is on coping with the emotions that result from what's described.
Relationships: Aanya/Ezran (The Dragon Prince), Amaya/Janai (The Dragon Prince), Annika/Neha (The Dragon Prince), Callum & Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Ethari/Runaan (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 85
Kudos: 251
Collections: Anon Works





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Stolen (Rescued)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18795229) by [InkRanOut](https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkRanOut/pseuds/InkRanOut). 



> Hi everyone! I read Stolen (Rescued) by InkRanOut and was totally surprised that there wasn't any other slave!fic in the fandom - so I decided to write my own! This is totally unbeta'd. I didn't even read it over too much.
> 
> Please read the tags! Nothing awful happens in the fic but some pretty bad stuff is discussed, so please be careful.
> 
> A couple of notes that will help things make more sense:
> 
> This is an AU in which, a few hundred years ago, the kingdom of Duren peacefully took over the pentarchy, letting the former royal lines maintain elevated status as "Princes" with the former king being called the "High Prince." This means that the High Prince has less power than Kings do in the show's universe. They can legislate things pertaining only to their kingdom but not things that would affect other kingdoms and the rulers of Duren have the final say.  
> Fifty years after that, the humans, united, managed to attack Xadia, kill almost all of the dragons, and, using dark magic, they enslaved the vast majority of elves, taking them back to the pentarchy. Everything else should be explained in the work itself. Let me know if there's anything unclear!
> 
> Any feedback is appreciated!
> 
> NOTE OF CLARIFICATION: I've moved around the order of the two extra scenes, and I've renamed the chapters. This is because I am currently working on a fourth chapter, which will hopefully be more similar to the first in that it will be longer and really tell a story.

Callum could tell that Ezran was reaching the end of his rope. He held out admirably, but no thirteen-year-old who had just lost his only parent could be expected to sit through six hours of receiving gifts from Katoleese nobles and not get antsy.

Callum subtly signaled this to Opeli, Ezran’s regent for the next three years, and she grimaced, looking around the room. _Two more_ , she mouthed back to him. _Almost done_. Callum quickly gazed over the room, noticing that Opeli was right; only Lady Greida and Lord Viren remained before the throne. The rest of the nobles were quietly talking to each other, grateful for the opportunity. This was the first official event that all Katoleese nobles had been invited to since High Prince Harrow’s funeral two months ago.

Lady Greida presented a box that, upon being wound up and opened, played melodies sweeter than any Callum had heard before, and Ezran formally thanked her for the gift, repeating the same words he had said to every noble before her. Ezran, being the most genuine person Callum knew, tried to put meaning and sincerity behind the rote words, and Callum smiled, proud of his little brother. He noticed Opeli make her way to the throne, ready to end the ceremony as soon as the last noble gave his gift.

The crowd quieted as Lord Viren stepped forward. They all knew that whatever gift he gave would be impressive and showy, so they stepped closer as Viren began to speak.

“High Prince Ezran, let this gift serve both as a balm to ease the pain of your predecessor’s passing and a mark of a brighter future,” Viren recited, pronouncing the ritual words with ease.

“Lord Viren, we accept your gift. Step forward,” replied Ezran, as he had for the last few hours. The entire hall was quiet as Viren reached into his pocket and pulled out a gold medallion inscribed with the seal of the High Prince of Katolis.

Around him, Callum could hear some confused whispers. Viren was a powerful dark mage, close to the High Prince’s family, and his only gift was a medallion? But the unasked questions were soon answered as Viren explained, “This medallion is infused with incredibly powerful magic. Whenever you wear it, anyone around you who is untrustworthy will appear to you as if they have a red glow surrounding them. I could think of no better gift for you, who took your throne so young.”

Almost as if they couldn’t help themselves, the surrounding nobles burst into applause, ignoring protocol in favor of expressing their astonishment. Callum couldn’t help but agree. The medallion was a truly spectacular piece of magic, and he could tell that Ezran was impressed as well.

Ezran took the medallion from Lord Viren’s hand, thanking him with the traditional words. Callum was relieved to see Opeli step forward to conclude the ceremony, but before she had said anything, Lord Viren raised his hand, and the nobles around him fell silent in confusion. There was nothing left for Lord Viren to say. Callum barely restrained himself from rolling his eyes, accepting the fact that they weren’t finished yet. Under any other circumstance, Opeli would not have allowed the ceremony to be derailed, but this ceremony was about cementing good ties with other nobles, so she stood back and let Viren speak.

“Although this may be ... slightly untraditional, I was very close to High Prince Harrow, may his soul know peace, and in the name of that past friendship I would like to present an additional gift to Prince Callum.”

Murmurs of approval swept through the hall, but Callum ignored them as he walked forward, eyes locked on Opeli, who just shrugged her _This is Not in the Rulebook, if you Mess This Up you’ll be in Trouble_ shrug. Ezran seemed confused but smiled encouragingly, so Callum breathed deeply and met Viren in the center of the room.

* * *

Rayla had always known that Master Viren was cruel. He enjoyed hurting them, punishing Runaan and Ethari for her faults, depriving them of food, assigning impossible tasks and laughing at their failure. She knew that he sometimes dragged elves down into his private lab, and those elves never returned. She knew that he practiced dark magic, that he had somehow taken the collars used to prevent elves from connecting to their arcanums and twisted them into something worse, enabling him to cause immense pain to any of his elves with only a snap of his fingers. But she had somehow never imagined this. In her whole life, Master Viren had never sold or given away a slave. Those who he had no use for, he simply killed.

This was why when he summoned Rayla to his chambers last night she thought she had messed something up and was going to be punished. Or perhaps Ethari or Runaan had done something, and she was to be punished for their faults. But she was completely blindsided when he told her, “I’m giving you to the prince tomorrow, as a gift. You’re leaving before breakfast, so don’t be late,” she hadn’t reacted. She bowed, as she had been trained to, thanked him _(thanked him!)_ , and backed out of his chambers. It was only when she returned to the slave quarters and found the corner she shared with Runaan and Ethari that she allowed herself to break down.

The slaves in Master Viren’s household, despite all being different types of elves, were all supportive of one another, so when they saw Rayla crying _(Rayla, who smiled even after being lashed so as not to scare the younger elves, who would lie and claim another elf’s mistake as her own if the other elf was badly injured, who would work late into the night to cover other elves’ jobs when they just couldn’t go on)_ they knew something was wrong. They tried to calm her down (lest one of the humans overheard and took offense) and listened as she explained.

“I don’t understand what’s happening, I barely remember anything before Master Viren,” she cried. “How can I serve someone else? I’ll mess it up, and the prince will take offense-”

“The prince?”

Rayla looked up, shocked at who had spoken. It was Aaravos, a Startouch elf who did not frequent the slave’s quarters. Everyone knew that Aaravos was Master Viren’s favorite, but there was no prestige in that title. He spent most nights in the Master’s chambers. Everyone knew why, but no one knew what they could do about it, especially since Aaravos never spoke of it. He never spoke much at all, which was why Rayla was stunned into silence when she heard his voice.

“You’re being given as a personal gift to a young man around your age, who is unmarried and unbetrothed.”

Rayla felt her hands go numb. She hadn’t thought of it like that, but when Aaravos said it it was perfectly clear. And he would know more than anyone else. Her stomach tightened, and she felt her legs shaking. If she thought she was panicked before, she was now filled with dread, and the ensuing conversation floated around her like a dream.

“Did you really need to say something like that to her?”

“Better she knows it now than she finds out tomorrow.”

“But you can’t know for sure that that’s what the prince will use her for!”

“What else? The royal family is famous for not having any slaves. They probably don’t trust elves to serve them where humans can step in. Master Viren wouldn’t give a gift unless he knew it would be well received.”

“What are we able to do?”

Rayla made an effort to pull herself back, to focus on the conversation at hand. Ethari wanted to know what they could do. That was a good question. She forced herself to listen to Aaravos’s answer, but his only response was a quiet “there’s nothing we can do.”

* * *

After Rayla calmed herself down and the surrounding elves dispersed, she went up to Aaravos and asked him, quietly, “surely there’s some sort of advice you can give me? Anything, anything at all, I have no idea what to expect.”

Aaravos didn’t look at her, and his silence stretched so long that Rayla nearly gave up and returned to Runaan and Ethari. But after a minute, she saw his lips move, and it took her a moment to realize that he was actually talking.

“Don’t fight back. Whatever he does to you, don’t fight back. Humans who use elves in that way, they want to feel powerful, feel in control. That means don’t do anything without his permission. You don’t eat, don’t wander, don’t talk to people, don’t move, until he says you can.” His face remained calm and still, unmoving, and Rayla felt her heart clench. Was that why he never spoke to them? Was he not allowed? Was he endangering himself just by helping her? Unbidden, another thought rose up in her mind: _Is this what’s going to happen to me?_

Which brought her to her current predicament: she was kneeling on the floor of her new master’s chambers, waiting for him to arrive. She managed to keep her breathing under control, but she could not stop the tears forming in the corner of her eyes, nor could she calm the frantic tattoo of her heart under her skin. She kept her eyes down, not looking around the room because her new master could return any minute, and she needed to make a good first impression, to show him that she was a good slave who didn’t need to be punished.

 _That’s one good thing here,_ she thought to herself. _No other slaves means no one else punished for my mistakes._ As long as she focused on that, she could ignore the larger truth looming behind her, which was _no one is here to help me if I need it. And I’ll never see Runaan or Ethari again._

It had surely been hours since Master Viren - not my master anymore - had brought her here and told the guards not to let anyone in beside the prince. The prince who was to be her master. She didn’t even know his name.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the creak of the door.

* * *

Callum pushed open the door of his room, dreading what he would find. It was utterly humiliating for him to have smiled and thanked Lord Viren for gifting him a slave in front of the entire court. And even worse, the nobles around him had seemed to find the gift genuinely fitting, some even going so far as to compliment Lord Viren on his thoughtfulness!

 _Even if everyone else thinks this is normal, I’m still upset,_ he thought angrily. He had left as soon as the ceremony was complete, and his anger had barely abated. But as the door swung open, he couldn’t help but forget his anger, his humiliation. There was an elf kneeling in front of him, shaking, tears visible on her face. She kept her eyes down, even as Callum walked forward, stopping a few feet from where she was on the floor.

“So…” said Callum, completely lost. “I’m not really sure how this whole thing works, to be honest. We never had any elves around, growing up. Do you have to kneel? Because I’d like to talk to you, but that may be hard if I’m just staring at your head.”

_Great job, Callum. You sound like an idiot. She’s obviously scared of you, and now she thinks you’re a fool as well._

“I’m sorry, master, I wouldn’t presume to stand in your presence. I apologize for any offense I may have caused,” responded the elf, voice small and tight. Callum blinked, realizing that there were bigger things he had to focus on right now than his permanent-foot-in-mouth syndrome. He walked to his table, pulling out two chairs and clearing it of all his drawing supplies that he had forgotten to organize earlier that day. He then walked back to the elf, whose name he didn’t even know.

“Let’s go sit at the table so we can talk,” Callum said, proud of how level his voice was in such a bizarre situation. He glanced longingly at his bed for a moment, wishing that he could just collapse and deal with life tomorrow, but was drawn back into the present when he heard a small whimper from the elf. He looked down and saw her clutching her side as she made to stand up.

“Are you hurt? Oh, you’re hurt and I didn’t even realize! Are you bleeding? Do you need medical assistance? Let me go tell the guards to fetch a healer.” Before she could react, Callum was already at his chamber door. He opened it and stuck his head out, and, spotting a guard down the hall, called for the guard to send a healer to his chambers.

“And some dinner, too!” he added, aware that he hadn’t eaten anything since before the ceremony started. _Come to think of it, the elf probably also hasn’t eaten for at least that long_.

He turned back and closed the door, glad that at least one problem had been taken care of, but when he saw the elf he noticed that she looked more nervous than before. Maybe she was scared of healers?

“Don’t worry, we have great healers in the castle. One time, my brother Ezran’s glow toad, Bait, fell into a well, and Ezran tried to get him out but then he fell and hit his head, and the healer checked and told Ezran that it was just a small bruise and he didn't have to cry but it turned out that Ezran was crying because he thought Bait was injured so the healer also had to examine Bait, who was perfectly fine, so Ezran began to call that healer ‘the toad healer’ until he discovered that the healer didn’t actually like being called that.”

An awkward silence ensued, and Callum realized that he had been rambling again.

“Sorry, I tend to talk a lot. Anyways, the point is that the healers here are really nice, you don’t have to worry.” The elf was standing now, and Ezran noticed absently that she was taller than him, even if you didn’t count the horns. _Any day now, puberty, whenever you want to give me a massive growth spurt feel free._  
  
She hesitantly lifted her eyes to somewhere around Callum’s chin as she said, “Master, my ribs are only bruised. I can still work.”

“Um, bruised ribs definitely warrant a visit from the healer. They could be broken! Also, I asked the guard for some food, so dinner will be as soon as you’re done with the healer.”

* * *

Rayla was doing her best to be perfect. She was drawing from her training under Master Viren, as well as the conversation that she had had last night with Aaravos. _Don’t make eye contact. Speak only when spoken to. Kneel before any human, especially your master. Don’t make trouble. Know your place._ But her new master seemed … odd, to say the least. He didn’t want her to kneel. She was crying when he came in, yet he made no mention of it. He ordered a healer to come and look her over.

It was possible that he planned to punish her later. It was also possible that he simply had never owned a slave before and was unsure how to act around her. But Aaravos’s words kept drifting through her head: _Humans who use elves in that way, they want to feel powerful, feel in control._ Her new master didn’t seem to fit that profile at all. Of course, it had been less than an hour. All her initial judgments could be completely off.

A knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts, and she had to fight to keep her head and eyes down as her master walked over and opened the door. Three people stepped through - two carrying trays laden with food, and one wearing the white tunic of healers holding a small bag. To her shock, her master proceeded to walk out of the room; the two servers placed the food on the table before exiting as well, leaving Rayla alone with the healer.

The healer placed her bag down on a chair and smiled softly as she faced Rayla. “My name is Kanyi,” she said as she opened her healer’s bag. “What seems to be ailing you today?”

Rayla had only ever seen a healer on rare occasions. There was one time when Master Viren punished Ethari by holding his hand down on a hot stovetop, and the wound became infected. Another time, one of the Tidebound elves nearly miscarried, and Master Viren’s son had sent for a healer. Master Viren’s daughter had gotten there first and had used some form of dark magic to preserve the life of the child. The mother didn’t make it, but Master Viren’s daughter decided to keep the baby as her own personal slave, and Rayla had hardly ever seen the baby after.

In her whole life, Rayla had never been attended to by a healer and didn’t know what to expect. So she chose to err on the side of caution and say, “I am not too badly injured to work, ma’am, you needn’t concern yourself.”

“Oh, child,” the healer responded, lifting Rayla’s chin and looking into her eyes. “It’s my job to concern myself. If you’re injured at all, in any way, please let me know, no matter how insignificant you may think it is. This is a safe space. You may speak freely here.”

Perhaps it was the use of the word freely when Rayla had spent her whole life a slave, or perhaps it was the healer’s gentle tone, but Rayla decided to answer honestly when she said, “My ribs, ma’am. They were injured a few weeks ago, and they hurt when I move too quickly, even though the bruising is gone.”

The healer was quiet for a moment, and Rayla began to worry that she had said something wrong, would be punished despite the kind words earlier, but then the healer asked, “How bad was the original pain, compared to what you feel when you move now?”

“Not too different. I don’t think I broke a rib, but the bruises are gone and the pain isn’t.”

The healer motioned for Rayla to sit at the table, and she did, though it felt wrong, to be seated with a human as if an equal. _This is probably how she treats patients,_ Rayla thought, _best not to read too much into it. She told you to sit, so you sat._ The healer reached forward, ghosting her hands over Rayla’s ribs as she said, “from what you’re describing, it sounds like a contusion - a bone bruise. It’s not dangerous, though you should refrain from sudden movements and rest as long as you’re able.”

 _I could have told her that. But it’s not like I’ll get the chance to rest_. Rayla let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding as the healer stood up and picked up her bag. As she began to walk away, she hesitated for a moment, turned to Rayla, and said, “Prince Callum is a good man. You needn’t fear so much.” Then she continued walking, closing the door to the room as she left.

So her master’s name was Callum. Rayla had survived the healer’s visit and was now alone in the room. The smell of her master’s dinner wafted towards her, and without the healer to focus on, it was hard to ignore. She hadn’t been allowed to eat dinner last night and was rushed out of Master Viren’s house before she had any breakfast that morning. She was starving but tried to control herself. _You haven’t earned any food here, yet. You’ll get to eat tomorrow._

_Hopefully._

* * *

Callum stopped pacing and looked up when he heard the door of his chambers open. Kanyi stepped out, walking towards him, a frown etched into her features.

“Is she ok?”

“Just … be kind to her. Her ribs will heal with rest. But she’s scared. She needs to know that she’s safe. I know that you can help her.” With that, Kanyi began to walk away.

Callum swallowed, feeling burdened with this new responsibility. He hadn’t thought through the implications of now being responsible for the elf. He had been so focused on making it through that night that he had barely considered what the future would bring.

_Ok, Callum, organize your thoughts. Break things down and you can handle anything._

The elf would have to stay in his room. If she was given her own quarters, somewhere else in the castle, Lord Viren might take offense. And despite Callum now firmly cementing Lord Viren in the camp of unpleasant people in his mind, he knew that Ezran and Opeli would be upset if he ostracized nobles close to the High Prince of Katolis.

It followed that Callum needed to get her clothes, bedding of some sort, and something to keep her from dying of boredom - maybe books? Did she even know how to read? _Oh God, I have no idea what I’m doing._ And she would probably go stir crazy never leaving his room at all; maybe they could go on walks? Was that normal? What did normal even mean, in this situation? He was already failing this elf and he didn’t even know her name. _He didn’t even know her name._ He was just as bad at this as he was at everything, couldn’t fight couldn’t write couldn’t do politics couldn’t do anything, just a failure always always always-

_I wish mom was here._

The thought rose, unbidden, and Callum had to clamp down on a sob, reminding himself to breathe as he thought of Sarai. She had always been able to calm him when he was panicking, always helped him breathe through his anxiety when it became too much. He didn’t often lose control like this, but today’s events had been so stressful that he couldn’t help but imagine his mom next to him, comforting him.

After a few minutes, Callum managed to get his breathing under control. He stood up, walked across the hall, and opened the door, trying to keep all the negative emotions off his face. Inside, the elf was sitting at the table, staring at the food. After the long day that he had had, Callum was also hungry, so he walked to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down next to the elf. “I’m starving,” he said, pulling a plate towards himself and dishing up a leg of chicken. He added rice and salad, and it was only when he reached over for the mincemeat that he realized that the elf wasn’t eating anything.

“Aren’t you hungry? When did you last eat?”

She looked at him, confusion and panic in her eyes as she answered.

“Yesterday morning, master.”

Callum felt his mouth drop open. “But you must be starving! Do you not like the food? Are you allergic to something? I can ask the kitchens to make something else if you want. You can’t go that long without eating, you’ll starve!” The elf stood, taking a step back from the table. Callum absently noted her hand jerking up towards her ribs, but he was more concerned with the way her breathing sped up. Her hands were shaking again. _Dammit, how am I so awful that I can’t even give her food without freaking her out!_

“Master, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cause any offense. The food looks good, master, but I would never presume to steal from you, I haven’t done anything to earn any food and I wasn’t sure what I could be allowed to eat. I’m sorry.” She clenched her fists as if to hide the shaking.

That was the longest Callum had heard her speak so far, and he was so shocked that he didn’t respond immediately; the only sound that filled the room was her unsteady breath. After a few seconds, he gathered himself and said, “This meal is for both of us. Please, sit, you can have whatever you want. I should have clarified, you have nothing to apologize for.”

Hesitantly, she sat down, but instead of reaching out to take food she repeated, quietly, almost as if to herself, “I haven’t done anything to earn any food.”

“Tell you what,” said Callum, basking in the genius of his newest brainwave. “You can have food, you don’t need to earn it. But if you want, you can tell me your name in exchange. How’s that sound?”

The elf looked at him, actually making eye contact for the first time instead of staring at Callum’s chin. She seemed confused, but the smallest smile played over her face as she told him, “I’m called Rayla.”

He finally had a name! Maybe he could do this, maybe he could take care of Rayla and help her be less terrified without messing everything up. His short-lived confidence waned when she added, quickly, her eyes looking downward again, “Of course, it is your prerogative to call me whatever you would like, master, I didn’t mean to imply anything different.”

“Why don’t we eat,” Callum said, disheartened by the sudden shift. “We can talk more when we’ve both got a nice meal in our stomachs.” Rayla nodded, reaching towards the chicken slowly, glancing over at Callum as if to test his reaction. Callum decided that the best course of action would be to ignore that and act as if everything was normal. He did note that the portions she took were significantly smaller than what was on his plate. But she ate the food quickly, hunched over the plate as if to protect it. _Would she stop me, if I tried to take it from her?_ The thought left him slightly queasy, so he decided to turn back to his own plate, which was as delicious as usual.

They ate in silence, save for Callum telling Rayla that she could have more food if she wanted and Rayla spooning a portion of rice even smaller than her first onto her plate. Callum, however, was an eighteen-year-old boy and ate a second plate and half of a third with gusto. Eventually, he could eat no more, so he put Rayla’s empty plate on top of his own and put them to the side, ready to talk.

* * *

Rayla had never eaten at the same time as Master Viren. She had never sat at the same table as him, certainly never had eaten the same foods that the humans of the household had eaten. But her new master had all but ordered her to do all those things. Despite her best efforts, she was starting to feel something like hope. Perhaps not all humans were as cruel as Master Viren had been.

Her new master had asked for her name in exchange for the most delicious meal she had ever eaten. She was grateful that he was being so kind. She tried to show that she knew her place by not overeating, not indulging in that kindness, but she couldn’t stop herself from wolfing down the food on her plate. At Master Viren’s house, the slaves would all eat together - once early in the morning and once late at night. She had learned to eat quickly because they only had ten minutes to eat before the food would be taken from them. Master Viren would sometimes watch them eat and laugh, saying that they were no better than dogs. Rayla had learned to tune out the insults early on.

“Ok, so,” her master began. “We should cover some ground stuff. I’ve never been responsible for an elf before-” _that’s an odd way to refer to owning a slave,_ she thought “-but I’m not so comfortable being called master. My name is Callum.

“Also, you’re going to have to stay in my chambers for a while. If I gave you your own room Lord Viren might be offended, and my brother just became High Prince, we can’t really afford to offend important nobles. But I promise nothing will happen to you here. You can take some of my spare blankets and pillows and sleep in the corner until we can figure something else out. Is there anything else? Oh, I can get you some books if you want, I guess you’ll be pretty bored just holed up in here all day.”

Rayla felt as if she had just been punched in the gut. Shocked, she asked, “Do you not want me? Master, please, if I have caused any offense I apologize, I’ll do better, you can do whatever you want to me. Please don’t send me back to Master Viren. I swear, I can be good, but please don’t send me back, he’ll be so angry, please!” Belatedly, she realized that she had addressed him as "master" when he had clearly stated he didn’t want to be called that. She should have called him Prince Callum, but it didn’t matter, none of it mattered if she was sent back if Prince Callum didn’t appreciate Master Viren’s gift then he would take it out on her, and all the other elves. She could feel tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, but she didn’t dare look up, she had to convince Prince Callum that she was valuable enough to keep.

“I know that I may be inexperienced, but I swear, I’ll do whatever you want, I’ll be willing, I’ll be bidabble, I’m sure I can make it good for you, just give me a chance, please!”

She stopped herself, anxiously awaiting his reply. Her fate depended on his goodwill, on his mercy. She couldn’t be sent back to Master Viren. She couldn’t.

“I-is that what you’re here for? Are you meant for me to … sleep with?” He sounded shocked, angry, disgusted, none of which boded well for her. But she held her tongue as her master continued, “Rayla, listen, I’m not going to force you to do that. And I’m not going to send you back. You’re safe here, ok? You don’t have to call me master, you don’t have to kneel or avoid eye contact, I’m not going to punish you.

“Listen, we can talk more tomorrow, but it’s already late. Let me get you some blankets and pillows and we’ll talk in the morning, alright?”

Rayla was vaguely aware of her master walking away, coming back with some linens which he arranged in the corner farthest from his bed. She was vaguely aware of her own body walking to the blankets, cocooning herself in them as her master snuffed out the candles and wished her goodnight. But she couldn’t manage to process any of these things. Her mind seemed stuck on what her master had said, turning the words over, trying to find where she had misunderstood. No human would be so kind. He had to have some sort of ulterior motive. But try as she might, she couldn’t think of one.

_He called a healer. He addressed me by my name. He gave me food that was meant for him. He isn’t forcing me to sleep with him._

Rayla found it very hard to rest that night.

* * *

Callum woke up the next morning, and, for a few blissful moments, he just lay there, savoring the comfort of his mattress, the emptiness of his thoughts. It didn’t last long, though - he was startled out of it by a loud banging on the door, followed by the door being thrown open. Before he knew what was happening, Ezran was in his room, crossing over to his bed and jumping on it.

“Callum! Callum, wake up! Aunt Amaya is here! Wake up!”

Callum groaned and rolled over. “Five more minutes, please, Ezran.”

Ezran responded by picking up Bait and holding him next to Callum’s face. “Do you want Bait to show off his new glow-trick? Because if that’s what it takes to get you out of bed, I’m sure Bait would love to help.”

“Alright, alright, I’m up, I’m getting out of bed. Wait. Did you say Aunt Amaya is here?”

“She wanted to surprise us at the ceremony, but she was held up and couldn’t make it. She arrived an hour ago, and I was gonna wait for you to wake up, but you were taking so long!”

“Alright, I’ll be out in a minute and we can have breakfast.”

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!” Ezran said, grinning. “Hurry!” And with that, he dashed out of the room.

Callum grinned as he got out of bed and headed for his closet. As he walked across his room, he saw Rayla curled in the pile of blankets he had put in the opposite corner. She was awake, peering out at the room from within her cocoon. But as she saw Callum looking at her, she shook herself out of the blankets and stood. Callum paused and turned towards her.

“Hi Rayla, good morning! Sorry if Ezran woke you, he does that sometimes. I don’t know if you overheard, but my aunt is here, so I’m gonna go have breakfast with her. I’ll ask the guards to bring some food for you, and I should be back soon. Feel free to open any of my books, and there’s some sketch paper if you want to draw something. If you need anything, there’s always a guard outside my door, you can ask them.”

Her brows furrowed as if confused.

“Prince Callum, what are my responsibilities? What can I do to serve you?”

“You don’t need to do anything. You can just rest. And eat, when the food gets here.”

She nodded, and Callum decided that would have to be enough because there was no way he could be late for Aunt Amaya. He dashed out the door, quickly told the guard posted outside to get Rayla some breakfast, and practically hurled himself through the familiar hallways to the small dining room where he ate with Ezran whenever they were both available. The door was already open, and he entered, panting, and broke into a huge grin.

 _Aunt Amaya!_ he signed, before wrapping himself around her in a huge hug. After a moment, he pulled back. _It’s so good to see you!_

_I’m glad to see you, too. I’m sorry I missed the ceremony. Ezran told me it was boring._

_It was,_ Ezran signed. _But it was important._

 _You sound like a High Prince already,_ teased Aunt Amaya. _It’s good I’m back here, though - you both need to work on your signing. You’re getting sloppy without me!_ This was punctuated with a grin, and Callum felt himself smiling as well. It was good to have family around.

Breakfast passed uneventfully, although quieter than usual. Aunt Amaya always said that it was important for them to be fluent in sign language. It was a skill that she taught the basics of to all of the soldiers under her command, and it had saved their lives more than once. During meals with Aunt Amaya, they would often sign without speaking, because it was sometimes hard for Aunt Amaya to read their lips while they were eating.

Ezran decided to recount every single gift that he got to Aunt Amaya, leaving Callum to space out for a bit. His thoughts kept wandering back to Rayla. He had been horrified during their conversation last night, at the fact that she thought he was going to sleep with her. He had heard of such things before, but it had never seemed real to him. The royal household never had any slaves, so he hadn’t grown up around them. The only elf he was somewhat familiar with was Janai, Aunt Amaya’s interpreter. But she had always seemed happy, not scared of Aunt Amaya the way Rayla was of him. He resolved to talk to Aunt Amaya about it.

* * *

After breakfast was cleared away, and Opeli came by to pick up Ezran and head to a meeting together, Aunt Amaya and Callum began to walk together, heading towards her room. Callum turned to face her, walking backward so they could sign. He wasn’t sure how to begin the conversation, but luckily Aunt Amaya started talking before he could think too much about it.

_So, how are things for you? I know a lot has changed recently._

_You don’t know the half of it._

_Oh?_

_Yesterday, during the ceremony, Lord Viren gave Ezran a medallion, but he also gave me a gift. He announced it in front of the whole court, so I couldn’t say no or anything, but I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to do, and I’m worried that I’m messing things up already._

_What was the gift?_

_Her name is Rayla -_ he spelled out the name _\- and she’s a Moonshadow elf._

Aunt Amaya stopped walking, one eyebrow lifting in surprise.

_She’s really scared, and she was kneeling and she called me master and wouldn’t eat without my permission and she thought I was going to … to hurt her and she was injured and I’m really concerned about her and I’m not really sure how to calm her down or make her believe that she’s safe now and I’m failing at this and I just don’t know what to do._

It felt good to get that off his chest, to confide in another person, but Aunt Amaya didn’t say anything in return. She was looking at him intently, the intensity of her gaze confusing him. She then looked around, as if to confirm no one else was around and signed _there’s something that you should know. But we’ll talk about it in my chambers. You can never be too careful._

Callum had no idea what Aunt Amaya was talking about but followed her closely as they headed towards her chambers. When they got there, Aunt Amaya pushed open the door and led Callum inside. Janai was unpacking a suitcase, but she put down what she was holding and turned towards them.

 _Is everything ok?_ she asked.

 _Everything’s fine. I’m going to tell Callum about -_ here she used a sign that Callum didn’t recognize _. Would you mind stepping outside for a moment?_

Janai nodded, walking towards the door. Once she got there, she breathed deeply and then seemed to shrink, somehow, her head bowing and her shoulders hunching in slightly. It was more similar to how Rayla acted than how Callum was used to seeing Janai, and he turned to Aunt Amaya in confusion.

_What’s going on?_

_Callum, there’s something you need to know. Why don’t you take a seat?_

They both headed for the table, Callum sitting down opposite Aunt Amaya and focusing intently.

_You know how there were never any slaves in the castle when you were growing up?_

_Of course. The other nobles always commented on it, but I never thought about it too much._

_Sarai and Harrow were both part of a secret society, called The Resistance -_ Aunt Amaya spelled out the word, then signed the sign that Callum hadn’t recognized earlier. It was the name of the organization _\- dedicated to freeing elves, helping them to cross the border to Xadia._

_That doesn’t make any sense._

_But it’s true. Sarai and I joined when we were very young. She was the one to convince Harrow not to keep any slaves in the castle, though most nobles thought it was because Harrow didn’t trust elves enough to rely on them._

_But Janai is an elf! Isn’t she your slave? How could you be part of the resistance and have a slave?_

_Janai was born across the border, in Xadia. In public, we pretend that she is my slave, but she’s not. She’s also part of the resistance. Her collar is fake. She still has access to the sun arcanum._

It … made a surprising amount of sense. His mother was kind and compassionate, and an incredibly good fighter. His stepfather was committed to justice and protecting the innocent. They answered to no one, save the two Empresses of Duran.

_Callum, if you don’t want to be a part of this you can pretend we never had this conversation. But this needs to remain a secret. And I couldn't keep this part of your parents hidden from you any longer._

_Wait, you mean I can join? Absolutely! Where do I sign up?_

Aunt Amaya smiled indulgently. _There’s no sign-up sheet. But it’s enough that you know about me, and that you’re willing to join. For now, there’s not much you can do. But I’ll ask Janai to go and talk to Rayla, so if there’s anything that she needs hopefully we’ll be able to help her._

_Am I even allowed to join? I kinda own a slave. I mean, it wasn’t my choice! I’d be much happier if she wasn’t a slave._

Aunt Amaya's smile stretched further. _If you really mean that, we can talk to Rayla about possibly helping her cross over the border._ With that, Aunt Amaya opened the door and motioned for Janai to come in _._

_If you go to Callum’s chambers, you’ll find a moonshadow elf named Rayla who was badly treated by her former master. Callum would like to know how he can help her, and also if she would consider crossing the border. Do you think you’d be able to talk to her?_

_Of course,_ Janai answered.

* * *

Rayla was having what was probably the best day of her life. The guard came with breakfast, which she ate slowly, appreciative of the chance she had to savor every bite. She had no assignments, no chores that had to be done. Her master had suggested that she could read if she wanted, but she had never learned how, so she didn’t touch the books. She just sat in her pile of blankets, shifting them to rest under the window so she could bask in the sunlight.

She tried not to think too much about her current situation. Her master was kinder than she thought a human could be. She was still terrified that the other shoe would drop, that she would mess something up and somehow anger him. But for now, he wasn’t in the room, there was nothing for her to do, and no one was there to stop her from lying in her blankets until he returned. No matter what might come, she would cherish that morning.

Her reverie was interrupted by a knock at the door. She startled, confused; Prince Callum had no need to knock. Was it someone else? Was she allowed to answer the door? She decided to stay put, but whoever was outside was insistent, because they knocked again.

“May I come in?”

Rayla’s stomach tightened. Was she able to let a strange human into her master’s room? But at the same time, she couldn’t say no to a human. She didn’t have that right. Her decision was made for her, however, when whoever was behind the door said, “I’m going to open the door now,” and did just that.

Rayla felt the tension bleed out of her at the sight of an elf behind the door. Was she a slave here, too? Aaravos had said that the royal family didn’t keep slaves, but maybe he was misinformed. Maybe Rayla wasn’t alone! The thought filled her with hope. She took a few tentative steps towards her and noticed that the other elf was smiling calmly, with no trace of fear or anxiety on her face.

“My name is Janai,” said the elf softly. “I was hoping that I could talk to you.”

“Of course! I’m so glad to see another elf. Do you belong to the palace? Because I’d heard that there weren’t other slaves here; I thought I’d be all alone.”

Janai shook her head. “I am General Amaya’s interpreter, I’m only here for as long as she is. But I wanted to check in on you, make sure everything was ok. Are you being well-treated? Is there anything you need?”

“Prince Callum has been very generous,” Rayla replied, happy to find someone to talk to even if she was slightly disappointed that Janai wasn’t there to stay. “He gave me dinner last night and breakfast today, even though I haven’t done anything to deserve it.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Has he hurt you at all? Do you have any lasting injuries from your previous master?”

“I have some bruised ribs, but a healer saw to them last night. And no, Prince Callum hasn’t punished me. I don’t know why he hasn't, I keep on doing the wrong thing because I don’t know what the rules are yet. But I’m sure I can learn, and Prince Callum has been very merciful so far.”

“I’m sure things are very confusing for you right now. Usually, there are other elves to help you transition between masters, but here you’re alone, and the rules are very different.”

Rayla nodded, pleased that somebody understood. “Do you know anything about my new master? What he’s like? Any advice?”

“Anything about your new master … Rayla, I do know something about your new master, something important, but before I tell you, I’m going to promise you something, and I need you to promise me the same.” Rayla’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Alright, I’m listening.”

“I’m going to guarantee that no matter what you say next, no matter how you react, this conversation is going to stay between us unless you give me permission to tell someone else. And I need that same promise from you.”

“I promise,” said Rayla, used to lying around humans to protect other slaves. “What do you know about Prince Callum?”

Janai opened the door and stuck her head out, looking both ways to see if anyone was around. She then walked over to the side of the room furthest from the door, motioning for Rayla to follow. Even with all these precautions, Rayla had to strain to hear Janai say, “Prince Callum is part of the Resistance.”

Rayla didn’t answer, waiting for the punchline. She knew what the resistance was, of course. Rumors had always swirled among the slaves of free elves living in Xadia, working to free the slaves on the other side of the border. But it was inconceivable that her master, a human prince, was a part of that.

“It’s true,” Janai continued. “General Amaya is as well. Granted, Prince Callum was only initiated today, but he’s still a member.”

“That’s impossible,” Rayla replied. “There’s no way. Why’re you her slave, then, if she’s part of the Resistance?”

“I’m not really her slave. Amaya and I are both operatives, we provide aid to slaves in need, help smuggle them across the border to Xadia. There’s a political wing of the Resistance as well; I’m sure Callum will be more involved in that.”

Rayla felt herself shaking, and she quickly sat on the floor to avoid her knees giving out. _This was impossible. This was a dream_. “Is that why he’s been so kind? Why he hasn’t slept with me?” Things were coming together in her mind, like a jigsaw puzzle being solved. It would explain so much of his behavior if that was really how he felt. Could she be so lucky?

“Oh, Rayla,” Janai sighed sympathetically, lowering herself to the floor as well. “He only found out about the resistance today. He’s been good to you because he’s a good person.

“Look, I know things have been hard until now. And I won’t promise you that everything will be perfect from here on out. But I can promise you that Prince Callum doesn’t see you as a slave. And he won’t treat you like one. If you’d like, we can organize a way for you to cross the border and sneak into Xadia. I’m sure you’ve heard about the community of free elves there. You could be a part of that.”

Rayla allowed herself to imagine, for a moment, what that would be like. Living in a place without any master telling her what to do, living in safety, living with other elves. Her heart ached to be a part of that, but how could she? If what Janai was saying was true, then Rayla was safe here. If she knew about the resistance, perhaps she could help from the inside, like Janai? And she couldn’t imagine being so far from Ethari and Runaan.

Maybe Rayla was too hopeful, too willing to trust. Runaan certainly would say that she tended to assume the best of people when she had the chance. Maybe it was how kind Prince Callum had been to her, maybe it was her full stomach, maybe it was the gentleness in Janai’s demeanor. But, at that moment, Rayla trusted her.

“If what you’re telling me is real, if you really are part of the Resistance,” Rayla began, feeling her voice growing stronger with every word, “If that’s really the truth, then I want to fight. I want to stay here and help free other elves.”

“You can certainly do that, eventually,” answered Janai measuredly, “but I would like you to consider coming to Xadia before you begin. You would need training, and you deserve a chance to rest and heal. If you are worried about the journey, I can assure you that we have freed many slaves over the years. We have the system organized to a T. And you don’t need to make a decision now. The offer will always be open.”

Janai stood up, extending her arm down to Rayla to help her up as well. Shocked, Rayla realized that there were tears leaking out of her eyes, tears streaming down her face, but she wasn’t sad; she was happy, happier than she had ever been before. The tension that she had been carrying for years bled out of her, and she laughed, throwing her arms around Janai.

“I’ll come, I’ll come, whatever the plan is I’ll do it, I’ll go to Xadia I’ll train and come back and free others, I’ll find Runaan and Ethari and all the others and they’ll never have to be slaves again.”

“I was hoping you’d say that,” responded Janai with a smile. “Now let’s go find Prince Callum and Amaya and work out the logistics.”

* * *

_Dear Callum,_

_I’m sorry this letter took so long. I had to wait for your Aunt Amaya and Janai to come by and take it back to you, to make sure it wasn’t intercepted. We can’t have anyone knowing about the super-secret society!_

_Janai is transcribing this letter for me. I’ve been learning how to read, but it’s taking a while. Everyone tells me that it’s normal for older elves to have a harder time learning than the children, so I try not to be too jealous when they pick it up faster than I do. I’ll get there eventually!_

_Xadia is beautiful. There’s magic everywhere, in the plants and animals and the air around us. One of their mages broke the collar that prevented me from connecting with the moon arcanum, and I can do magic now! The feeling is indescribable. I’m trying to think of a way to explain it before Janai gets bored and ends this letter, but there really is no way. It’s breathtaking. There are all different kinds of elves here, living together, and even some half-elves and humans, though the humans mostly come and go, like your Aunt Amaya. I’m training every day, and it’s not just about fighting, either. We learn about human culture and elvish culture, about politics and history and argument de-escalation and all sorts. I hear you and Ezran are working to gain political allies. I can’t wait to hear all about it._

_Did you know that your Aunt and Janai are together? I feel like an idiot having only realized recently. Also, Janai is laughing at me right now, so either you already know or she just thinks I'm an idiot. Maybe both._

_Your Aunt Amaya will explain in more detail, but once I’m ready to come back, we’re going to stage something that will make me look like a captured runaway, but without any connection to the Resistance. I’ll live in the palace again, but this time with hidden swords and moon powers! It’ll be great. I really miss all the elves from Viren’s house, especially Runaan and Ethari. It’s too risky to try and help them escape, what with the dark magic and political power he wields, but hopefully, I’ll be able to sneak in and see them again, let them know that I’m alright._

_I’m also genuinely excited to see you again, Callum. I know we didn’t have the most stellar introduction, but in the two months that we spent together before the escape plan was cemented, I came to know you as a good person - brave, and smart and caring, and kind. I really hope you’re doing well. Send a letter with your Aunt Amaya - I want to hear from you!_

_Yours Truly,_

_Rayla_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I deleted the summary of my thoughts on this story because I'm actually writing it out now
> 
> Some other thoughts: writing is hard! really really hard! Like impossible to realize how hard it is until actually trying yourself hard.
> 
> OK that's pretty much all. Let me know what you thought!


	2. The Middle, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rayla and Callum have to deal with some strong emotions and unexpected reunions when she returns to Katolis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here's more! It's only from Rayla's pov so there's definitely stuff going on around her that she doesn't know about, but hopefully, the story still flows well, and I'll add in all the extra details floating around my head in the endnotes.
> 
> Thank you to all the kind reviewers! You are the reason I'm adding on to this universe.

Rayla had been back for just two weeks and was already starting to feel restless.

The entire “captured runaway” act had been plotted down to the last, meticulous detail. The Resistance made it look as if she had been living in the woods, alone, for the entire two years that she had been in Xadia. Another Resistance operative was a guard in a nearby town, and he both led his troops towards Rayla’s “hideout” and made sure that she was recognized as Prince Callum’s runaway slave and delivered back to him. For his part, Callum loudly announced that she would be fitted with a new collar, one that not only blocked access to any arcanum but also was able to track her location at any given moment. Of course, the collar she wore did no such thing, and she was able to connect to the moon as LuJanne had taught her.

Viren had made an appearance in the throne room a few days later, apologizing to Callum for providing him with such a badly behaved slave and stated that if Callum wished, he would gladly retrain her to suit his standards. Callum had declined, pointing out (with every air of politeness) that Lord Viren had been incapable of training her properly once, but it was said with so much grace and concern that Viren couldn’t call Callum out for it.

Callum had laughed while retelling this story to Rayla, later that night in his chambers, but Rayla couldn’t find it within herself to smile at that, recalling all too well how his training _had_ worked. And with that, she began to think of the elves who she used to live with, and how they still must be suffering under Viren’s hand. She had tried not to think about it too much while in Xadia, knowing that the only way she could help them was by focusing on healing and training with the Resistance. Now that she was back, however, it seemed to occupy her every thought.

She missed them all, missed them with an ache so strong it hurt. They weren’t blood-related, not most of them, but with all they had been through together, they were like a family anyways. Ethari and Runaan especially had taken her under their wings when Viren had taken her parents into his workshop, and she longed for nothing more than to let them know that she was ok.

It didn’t help that the Resistance hadn’t given them any missions, any tasks to complete, besides for “getting to trust one another.” Rayla had nothing to do to distract her from her thoughts. Callum tried to spend as much time with her as possible without being incredibly suspicious, but most days their interactions were limited to the mornings and evenings. During the rest of the day, she practiced with her blades (small enough to be hidden with no one the wiser, big enough to protect herself and others if need be) and worked on connecting to the moon arcanum, occasionally taking a book from Callum’s shelf and savoring the ability she now had to open a book and make sense of the letters printed there. Almost daily, Janai would stop in (she and Amaya had been at the palace for the last couple of weeks). But it wasn’t enough to stop her from thinking about Ethari and Runaan, and with all her free time, she began to plan.

It was a pretty good idea if she was being honest. Simple, quick, and easy - just the way she liked it. In the middle of the night, she would sneak out of the castle and towards Lord Viren’s keep, bypass any guards (she had their rotations memorized since childhood), make her way to the slave quarters where humans would never show up, and find Runaan and Ethari. She would let them know she was unharmed and spend a few hours with them, leaving before sunrise. 

Rayla really liked her plan. She knew she wouldn’t be caught - she had spent almost her whole life in that place, she knew it like the back of her hand. The only thing she had left to do was tell Callum so that if he woke up and noticed she was gone he wouldn’t freak out. So that night, after they had eaten dinner, she told him about her brilliant idea.

To her surprise, Callum didn’t look happy at what he was hearing. 

“I really don’t think that it’s a good idea.”

“I’ll be quick! Just to see them, to let them know that I’m alright. It won’t take long.”

“What if someone sees you? Rayla, this could jeopardize the entire Resistance.”

“You can say that you sent me on some sort of errand.”

“In the middle of the night?”

“Who would question you? You’re a Prince of Katolis.” She didn’t understand why he was making things difficult. The plan was incredibly simple.

“It’s too much of a risk. And what if Viren finds out?”

“He won’t. I know that place like the back of my hand. I could blindfold myself and still walk through it unseen.”

“What if he has some sort of magic alarm to let him know that someone broke in? What if one of the other slaves accidentally lets something slip?”

“They would never. _Please_ , Callum, I haven’t seen them in years. They were like parents to me.”

Callum had been restraining himself, Rayla could tell, but at that, his face screwed up in frustration.“Don’t - don’t act like this is something I’m holding back from you. This isn’t my fault! I’m just trying to do what’s best for the Resistance, and I don’t understand why you can’t see that. Rayla, it’s dangerous. It’s a risk we don’t need to take.”

“ _A risk we don’t need to take?_ Callum, this is my family we’re talking about. I just want to see them.” And then, because she was an absolute idiot whose time in Xadia had apparently removed all control of her tongue, she added, “Besides, it’s not like you could stop me from going.”

“Rayla-” Callum began, but she wasn’t finished, not yet.

“I mean, what would you do? Lock me up in your room? Tie me to the bedpost? Throw me in a cell? Please. I dare you. But if you’re not planning on exerting your full rights as my _master_ , I’m going to see them tonight.”

Callum was staring at her, mouth opened in shock, and Rayla felt a twinge of guilt. She knew he wouldn’t do any of those things. It was a low blow, especially when he was trying to have an adult conversation about this. But she had just been so frustrated when she had floated the idea past Callum and he had shot it down, telling her exactly what she was and wasn’t allowed to do. 

_Of course_ the Resistance was important to her. Of course it was. But so were Runaan and Ethari. They were the only family she had left. And she hadn’t been able to so much as send them a message letting them know she was alright.

“Ok, you know what? I’m gonna step outside for a bit. I think we both need a breather.” And with that, Callum left the room, closing the door behind him.

Ralya stared at the closed door, the anger draining out of her. It was hard for her to tell what she was feeling. Numbly, she looked down and realized that her hands were shaking.

_Why are my hands shaking?_

She suddenly found it hard to stand, and she reflexively, without thinking, found herself kneeling, still staring at her shaking hands.

_Why are my hands shaking?_

Her hands shook when she was scared. It wasn’t something she had ever been able to control and had gotten her in trouble more than once with Master Viren.

So if her hands were shaking now, it must mean that she was scared. But that didn’t make any sense. She was safe here. She knew she was safe. She wasn’t afraid of Callum. She had stayed with him for months before her “escape” and he had never hurt her, not once.

_Why are my hands shaking? Why won’t they stop?_

She was startled by a knock on the door - was Callum back so soon? - but it wasn’t Callum, it was Janai, who called out, “Rayla, I’m going to open the door now,” and promptly did just that. Rayla was reminded of their first meeting as she realized she was still kneeling and quickly made to stand up. Her hands still wouldn’t stop shaking.

Janai quickly closed the door behind her and looked at Rayla, a sharp, piercing glance that quickly latched on to Rayla’s hands. Rayla didn’t say anything as Janai walked over to her and reached forward, enclosing Rayla’s hands with her own. They were warm, Rayla noticed absently. Very warm, almost uncomfortable for a Moonshadow elf, but Rayla didn’t pull away as Janai led her to Callum’s doodle-covered table and sat down.

“Callum told me that you were upset and asked me to check on you,” Janai began, choosing her words slowly. Rayla noticed Janai’s hands twitching as if they were itching to sign, but she continued to hold Rayla’s hands in her own, and Rayla was grateful. “He said that the two of you had a disagreement. Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not really,” Rayla responded.

Janai furrowed her brows for a moment as if making a decision, and Rayla was about to say something when Janai spoke again.

“You know that my family has always been in Xadia.”

Rayla nodded, not sure where the story was going. She had heard it before: the Sunfire elves had worked tirelessly to hide their royal family from the humans during the invasion hundreds of years ago. The royal line still survived, although this was not widely known. Janai’s older sister, Khessa, had assumed the role when their grandmother died.

“I’ve never been a slave. I grew up free, always knowing that I would contribute to the Resistance in any way I could but not knowing exactly how. It was just under a decade ago when Amaya and I were assigned to each other, and we had over a year to acclimate ourselves to each other before we returned to the Empire.

“Even with all that, there are still times when I’m not in Xadia and I become so aware of my helplessness here, of what could happen if I’m not careful, and I become angry, so angry. I once spent almost a week refusing to sign anything to Amaya, just talking, and making her read my lips. I don’t even remember why, or what point I was trying to make.”

“How did she react?” asked Rayla, drawn into Janai’s tale despite herself. Janai laughed.

“She was patient in the beginning, but by day six she told me that if I didn’t start signing again she wouldn’t spar with me anymore, which was enough of a threat that I couldn’t help but give in. And then we talked about what was upsetting me and figured out the best solution, and then we sparred, and I was fine.”

“I am kind of angry with Callum,” Rayla admitted, looking at the table. “He wouldn’t even hear me out. He just shut my idea down.”

Janai nodded. “Based on what I’ve seen with other operatives posing as slaves, it isn’t uncommon for anger at the whole system to translate itself as anger towards something or someone else who’s a safer outlet for that anger.

“But there’s another common emotion that I’ve noticed, that I’ve felt myself, although it isn’t always easy to admit.”

“What is it?”

“Fear.”

Rayla sucked in a sharp breath. “I’m not afraid of Callum!”

Janai continued as if Rayla hadn’t spoken.

“Sometimes anger isn’t truly anger. Sometimes it’s just fear in disguise. You don’t know the boundaries, the consequences, and even if your mind knows that you’re safe, you’re so used to operating within a certain mindset while around humans that it becomes second nature. Your mind is saying you’re safe but your heart is saying you’re not, so you lash out just so you can _know_ for certain where you stand.” Rayla didn’t know how to respond to that, but Janai didn’t seem to expect her to, instead leaning back and picking up one of Callum’s doodles spread over the table.

“Marshmallow monster. How … original.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this until now?” Janai looked over at her, confused, so Rayla elaborated, “If you sat that it’s common for operatives to feel like this, all angry and afraid, why didn’t anyone warn me? So much preparation in Xadia for how to be an operative and no one mentioned this?”

“Not everyone feels like this, and we wouldn’t want to predispose you to be angry or afraid if we mentioned it beforehand. But why do you think you haven’t been sent on any missions yet? Why do you think Amaya and I have been here for two weeks? The Resistance is aware of how difficult this transition is, and makes sure to keep an eye out and check on your wellbeing. I’m sure Amaya is having a similar conversation with Callum now.”

Rayla’s face twisted in incomprehension. “What does he have to be afraid of?”

Janai sighed heavily. “Not fear. Guilt, mostly. It isn’t easy for humans who believe in the Resistance to act like slaveowners.”

Rayla paused to contemplate that. Janai was right, she decided. Callum wouldn’t know how to be cruel if his life depended on it. _Although now, I suppose his life really could depend on it. The Empire doesn’t take kindly to traitors._ If either of them were caught, they ran a real risk of being killed.

It was the thought of Callum dying for her that finally prompted her to say, “All right, maybe I am afraid. But I don’t want to be!” She wrapped her arms around herself as she repeated, “I don’t want to be afraid and angry all the time.”

“There’s no way to avoid being afraid some of the time,” responded Janai, “but you and Callum have to communicate if you want to avoid always being afraid. Even knowing there’s one person who you can trust can help with anxiety.”

Rayla nodded. “It all seemed so simple when I was in Xadia, but being a Resistance operative isn’t exactly simple, is it?”

At that, Janai threw her head back and laughed. “It certainly isn’t.” She then stood up and motioned for Rayla to follow. “You know, it’s important to get out and walk around, even if you don’t have anything specific to be doing nowadays. Being cooped up always makes me antsy.” And with that, she opened the door to the hallway, leading Rayla through the castle and up towards the roof. 

“It’s a bit easier for me to get away with walking around aimlessly because I can always say that I’m looking for Amaya because she needs an interpreter. No one ever questions it.”

“I guess they wouldn’t,” responded Rayla, leaning against a parapet. “Was it hard, learning how to sign? I’ve learned some basic ones from the Resistance, but I’m far from fluent. It’s incredibly fascinating, though …” Rayla trailed off, staring at the doorway that she and Janai had just come through. Was that … but it couldn’t be. There was no possible way that this was happening, her eyes must be lying to her because it _looked_ like -

“Ethari! Runaan!” and she ran towards them, throwing her arms around first one, and then the other, and tears were streaming down her cheeks and she was laughing and so were they, and she couldn’t remember ever being happier in her life.

* * *

Early the next morning, when the first hint of sunrise was threatening to spill over the horizon, Rayla bid Runaan and Ethari goodbye, telling them to send her love to all the elves in Viren’s keep, and returned to Callum’s room. To her surprise, he was awake, drawing in his notebook like he often did when he couldn’t sleep. He looked up as she came in and offered her a tentative smile.

“I know it was you,” she said in response. “I don’t know how you managed it.”

“I owe you an apology, for earlier,” Callum said. “It was wrong of me to shut you down without hearing you out, and I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too, for suggesting you would do any of those awful things to me. It was below the belt.” At this, Rayla could not manage to stifle her yawn.

“I’m sure you’re exhausted. Why don’t you sleep, and I’ll be sure to come back during lunch so we can have an actual discussion. I think we have a lot to talk about.”

Sleep had never sounded better to Rayla, so she crawled under her covers as Callum snuffed out the candles at his table and went to bed as well. She could not stop replaying the events of the night in her head and committed every detail to memory. Before she fell asleep, she rolled over and said, quietly, almost as if to herself, “Thank you, Callum. Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha what is plot? I just want to write emotions.
> 
> Ok since when did Janai become a licensed therapist? But she's my favorite character so she shows up whenever she can, even if I didn't plan for her to.
> 
> So while Janai and Rayla are talking Callum is working with Soren (who's now a resistance member, which Rayla really is uncomfortable with but he's a member) to figure out a way to get Runaan and Ethari over to Rayla, and they pretty much come up with Soren telling his dad that, I dunno, maybe the kitchens are understaffed and they need workers to step in that night? And it's a stupid lie but Viren believes it because he thinks Soren is really that stupid and just doesn't question what he says anymore, so Runaan and Ethari get to stay overnight at the castle and with Rayla.
> 
> Also, Janai telling Rayla that it's important to spend time outside? Really feeling the relevance nowadays.
> 
> Leave a review and let me know what you think?


	3. The Middle, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callum and Rayla are now members of the political wing of the Resistance. But it isn't always easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just a little scene, not a full story. It takes place around three years after the events of the first chapter, when Rayla returns and is awesome and Callum is just doing his best.
> 
> Thank you to all the kind reviewers! You encouraged me to write a little more.

The food, Callum had to admit, was pretty good. If he wasn’t focused on the people sitting around him, if he wasn’t watching the elves serving food out of the corner of his eye, he might have even found himself enjoying the meal. The meat was fresh and gamey, the vegetables finely diced and baked with a rare spice that even Callum, the step-brother of the High Prince of Katolis, didn’t often taste during banquets back home.

“I do hope everything is to your liking, Prince Callum.”

The noble sitting across from Callum was leaning forward, smiling genially, and Callum smiled in return, offering assurances that the man’s hospitality was appreciated. It would not do to offend him, not when he was potentially valuable to the Resistance.

Lord Marling had inherited his mother’s position when he was only fourteen, but in the two decades since had proven himself more politically capable she had ever been. His lands, bordering Del Bar, were rich and fertile, and his coffers were full. Even more promising, he had never made any public statements about elves or slavery. No one could accuse him of breaking any laws of the Empire of Duren, but it wasn’t clear what his personal opinions were.

When it had been announced, a few months ago, that Prince Callum would be traveling throughout the Empire, strengthening old alliances and forging new ones in the name of High Prince Ezran, Lord Marling had been one of the first to offer his hospitality. Callum had been staying at his keep for two nights now, and the visit marked the end of the Katolese leg of his journey. As such, hundreds of noblemen from Katolis and Del Bar were at the feast, but only Lord Marling and a few select others had the honor of sitting at the same table as the Prince of Katolis.

The conversation around Callum was focused mainly on pleasantries and gossip - any official business would be saved for meetings the next day. Callum had been fending off sly comments from Lord Asho and Lady Shev about his unmarried, unbetrothed status all night, but they weren’t rude enough to call out, so he just let it go. Besides, he didn’t like thinking too much about betrothal, because every time he did, his mind invariably wandered back to Rayla.

Rayla had returned to his life about six months ago, after close to three years of letter-writing. She was his Resistance partner, joining him on all his missions, going places where he couldn’t go, talking to the elves in all the places they visited. They were part of the political wing of the Resistance, so their job wasn’t to free any slaves, but she brought supplies when she was able to and gained information that was crucial to the Resistance. More than once, the Resistance had been debating about reaching out to a noble, but Rayla’s testimony that she brought from the slaves had shut down the possibility.

Rayla was smart, and funny, and cheerful, but most of all she was brave. She could have stayed safe in Xadia, could have lived a life free of human influence, but she chose to come back, chose to do her part to end slavery once and for all. For that, and for a million other things, Callum admired her, enjoyed all the time they spent together, worried about her when she was completing a mission and he wasn’t there to protect her. But when she had returned, had let Callum see her true self, not the beaten-down slave she had once been, Callum realized how pretty she was, how soft her hair was and how sweet her voice (tinged with the lightest of accents from Xadia) sounded.

In short, Callum was falling for Rayla. Had fallen. Hard. But he knew he couldn’t act on it, knew he couldn’t say anything to her, for so many reasons. It could ruin their friendship if she didn’t feel the same way. It could interfere with their Resistance missions. But the most troubling thing was, Rayla was still technically Callum’s slave. She had been reported as a caught runaway and returned to her master, and though the Resistance had orchestrated the whole thing, in the eyes of the law, Rayla was still his property. He had the power to beat her, starve her, use her, and no one would be able to stop him. And although he never would, felt nauseous at the thought, the power imbalance still remained. There was no way he could enter into a relationship with Rayla, so he held himself back from saying anything.

The main portion of the meal was being cleared away by a veritable army of elves. Most of the noblemen had lent the slaves they had brought with them to the kitchens to help with preparations for the banquet. Rayla had also joined in the preparations and was busy clearing tables at the other side of the banquet hall. It frustrated him to no end, worried him that he wasn’t there to protect her, but as Rayla so often reminded him, she had her daggers if she really needed them, she had access to her arcanum and had trained to use it, and it was important that she interact with the enslaved elves so she could gain info and help where she could.

“Besides,” she would always say with a grin, “we can’t all sit around all the time and call it a hard day’s work. Some of us appreciate a job well done.” And Callum would always object to the idea that he just sat around - “I’ll have you know that the political intrigue that I take part in requires a sharp mind and incredible wit!”

Callum managed to catch Rayla’s eye from across the hall, and she nodded, imperceptible to anyone else but him, letting him know that things were under control from her side of the mission. He nodded in return, letting her know the same, before turning to Lord Marling and engaging him in a conversation about the last time the Empresses had visited his keep, just under a decade ago.

Lord Marling had a good sense of humor and was able to tell a captivating story, so Callum was thoroughly entranced. He had just gotten to the part where both the chef and the butler had fallen sick the day before the Empresses were set to arrive when a loud crash and a scream reverberated through the hall. Startled, Callum stood up, as did Lord Marling and most of the nobles at their table. The room went silent as everyone craned their necks to better see what had happened, and the guards at the entrances subtly tightened their grips on their weapons.

It didn’t take long to see the source of the commotion - evidentially, one of the elves had, while cleaning up, tripped and dropped a stack of dirty dishes onto the back of one of the noblewomen. She turned around, both irate and aware that the whole room was watching her.

“Who did that!” The noblewoman was all but yelling, angry and humiliated. “Which one of you worthless elves decided to attack me and ruin my dress?”

There were only a handful of elves who had been behind her and could conceivably have dropped the dishes, and with a jolt, Callum realized that Rayla was one of them. As if in slow motion, he saw Rayla step forward, and, with that same small voice that he remembered from her first night with him, said, “It was my fault, ma’am. I apologize.” As she incriminated herself, the other elves around her moved forward and lifted the broken dishes from the floor, but Rayla didn’t move. Without conscious thought, Callum felt himself move forward through the crowd, and was bizarrely reminded of the ceremony where Lord Viren had gifted Rayla to him, although few people were focused on him; they all seemed to want to see how the drama played out.

Before he was halfway across the room, the noblewoman reached out her hand and slapped Rayla across the face. Rayla didn’t move, didn’t make any sound, or perhaps the blood rushing in his ears drowned out any sound she made. Callum breathed deeply, forcing himself to get ahold of his anger, to resist the urge to yell at the noblewoman. _You have a part to play_ , he reminded himself. _The Resistance needs you to be strong. Rayla needs you to be strong_. He managed to calm himself down enough to cover the rest of the distance between him and Rayla as the noblewoman continued, “I can’t believe what you’ve done! This dress is worth more than you, I can tell you that. And now it’s ruined!”

“I will, of course, cover the cost of the dress,” Callum stepped in, getting the noblewoman’s attention. “And my slave will be severely punished for the insolence she has shown tonight, you have my word.”

The noblewoman gaped at being addressed by the Prince of Katolis, before stuttering into a half-bow and saying, much more quietly than her earlier yelling, “I apologize for my unseemly conduct, your highness.”

“You weren’t at fault,” he assured her, lying through his teeth. “And _you_ ,” he said, letting his anger at the whole situation seep into his voice as he turned to Rayla, “go wait in my chambers. I’ll deal with you after the banquet.” Rayla nodded, muttering “yes, master,” as she bowed and turned away. Her hands were shaking, and Callum privately wondered how much of that was carefully-crafted acting and how much was being slapped and yelled at in a room full of hundreds of people. But he forced himself to turn away, assuring the noblewoman once more that she had done nothing wrong, and returned to the main table for dessert, although he knew that he would not eat a bite.

Callum expected Lord Marling to pick up the story where he had left off as if nothing had happened, but the lord was silent, instead focusing his attention on Lady Shev’s theories about the Neolandian jungles and the treasures they were rumored to contain. Callum turned in to her stories as well, and couldn't help but notice Lord Marling staring at him whenever he thought Callum wasn't looking. Her theories, and Lord Asho’s disbelieving retorts, carried Callum to the end of desert (a sweet chocolate mousse that he ate four bites of before proclaiming loudly that he was full so as not to offend his host), and he began to worry that he had done something that bothered Lord Marling because he didn't say a word to Callum throughout all of dessert.

When dessert was finally finished and Callum had made all the appropriate goodbyes, he headed out of the banquet hall and straight for the guest chambers he was staying in. His room was separated from most of the guests, a mark of his distinguished status as Prince of Katolis, so the hallways were mostly empty, save for the occasional elf hurrying past with their head bowed.

He could hear the crackle of the fire from outside his room. He pushed the door open, anxious, but there was Rayla, kneeling on the floor in the center of the room, and he felt the tension melt away from him with the visual proof that she was alright, that she was safe. She looked at his feet, then at him, and signed _is it safe to talk?_

“I wasn’t followed,” responded Callum, “and the fireplace is right by the door. As long as we aren’t too loud, eavesdroppers shouldn’t be able to hear us.”

“Thank goodness,” muttered Rayla as she stood up and crossed to one of the sofas near the bed. Callum followed her without thinking and sat in an armchair next to her. “There aren’t any locks on these doors. Someone could have walked in.”

“Did anyone?”

“No. The banquet just finished, I’m guessing, since you’re back, and all the elves are busy clearing up. I’ve been alone. Speaking of-” and here Rayla glared at Callum, but there was no heat in it, “-next time, you should tell me to go help in the kitchens instead of waiting here. I could have talked more with the elves. Instead, I’ve just been wasting time hoping that no one else would come in.”

“I’ll remember for next time,” Callum promised, and sighed heavily. “And there will be a next time, won’t there? There’s no way you dropped those plates. You just stepped in to protect whoever did. You always do.”

Rayla stared at him as if he was being particularly dull. “Of course I did. All I was risking was being yelled at. If that poor Sunfire who actually dropped the plates admitted to it, he would have been punished. And it wasn’t even his fault! He belongs to one of the delegations from Del Bar, and he was punished a few days ago, and I think his wounds may be infected so I gave him some ointment and bandages but he still shouldn’t have been serving tonight. It was a disaster waiting to happen. I kept myself close to him all night. I can handle being yelled at much better than he would have handled being punished.”

“But you weren’t just yelled at! That woman slapped you! And called you worthless!” Callum realized, belatedly, that he was yelling, and forced himself to lower his voice. “She called you worthless, and you’re not, Rayla, you’re absolutely not.”

The room was quiet save for the crackle of the fire for a moment, and Callum felt his cheeks heat up. _Just the fire making things hot, that’s why I’m blushing, no other possible explanation,_ he assured himself.

Rayla visibly collected her thoughts and said, contemplatively, “I appreciate that, Callum. I know I’m not worthless. But that noblewoman might feel worthless herself. I was surprised that she slapped me and made such a big scene, but she was probably trying to compensate for her own low self-esteem. The way she pointed out the value of her dress? The way she stood down the minute she realized whose slave she was talking about? I’ll bet that she was trying to make me feel small because she feels small, and doesn’t know any other way to deal with it.”

“That doesn’t make it alright,” responded Callum, not entirely sure where Rayla was going with this.

“Absolutely not. It was wrong, what she did. But I almost pity her.”

“You’re ok though, right? You didn’t bruise or anything?”

“No, she wasn’t strong enough for that. But I will have to pretend to be in pain tomorrow.”

“Why would anyone care whether she hurt you enough to cause pain?”

Ralya raised an eyebrow, lips quirking upward. “Callum, everyone in this keep thinks that I’m being beaten or whipped for my mistake tonight. I can’t show up tomorrow as if nothing happened.”

“Right. Didn’t Lujanne teach you some illusions? You could probably use that to make it look like you have a black eye or something.”

Rayla nodded and leaned back into her chair. She seemed content to sit in silence with her eyes closed, and Callum let her, suddenly very, very tired. It had been a long few months, and he missed Ezran, and Aunt Amaya. He longed for nothing more than to sit with Aunt Amaya and talk about the day’s events, but he wouldn’t see her for at least another half a year, and something like this couldn’t be put in a letter. Besides, she and Janai weren’t involved in the political wing of the Resistance. Their specialty was freeing elves and helping them cross the border, maintaining the underground network that guided elves to Xadia.

Callum snapped out of his reverie and smiled when he realized that Rayla had fallen asleep, curled up on the cushioned sofa. Most nights, she fell asleep on the floor by the fire, in case someone were to enter the room the next morning. They couldn’t do anything to jeopardize the Resistance, so Callum had to restrain his urge to offer her the bed, or at least some blankets and pillows. But she had had a hard enough day. Callum didn’t have it within him to wake her.

He quietly got up and propped his own chair under the door handle so no one would be able to get in, then grabbed a blanket from his bed and spread it over her. She turned but didn’t wake up, so he considered his mission a success. Satisfied, he crawled into his bed and under the covers. He had one final thought as he fell asleep: _Rayla is a hero. And one day, everyone’s going to know it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun drinking game: take a shot every time the word "banquet" or "dessert" is used, and every time the fire is described as crackling.
> 
> Also I'm majorly ace, so idk if Callum's pining sounds natural or not. Would love to hear your thoughts!


	4. The End, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New laws are made, new plots are hatched, and Callum and Rayla find themselves in the middle of a world-changing series of events.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys the reviews and kudos are so nice, I never expected people to like my story so much but I'm glad you're all here for the ride. 
> 
> I have more thoughts at the end but don't want to spoil anything, so enjoy!

“Look at you! My little brother! You’re going to be married!”

Ezran blushed. “It won’t be for another few years yet. And Callum, people are talking about you as well. They want to know why you’re unmarried.”

“I consider myself to be more of a free spirit, you know.”

“Just because you’re studying the sky arcanum now doesn’t mean we all have to suffer through your wind-related puns.” Ezran punctuated this by picking up a leftover pea from his dinner plate, closing one eye, and flicking it towards Callum.

“Hey!” Callum yelped, surprised. “If we start another food fight, Opeli might actually murder you. And me. And probably the cook, for giving us food, and Rayla, for just sitting here and not doing anything about it.”

Rayla leaned forward. “I thought the pun was pretty good.”

“Thank you, Rayla! At least I can count on someone to support me.”

“In fact, I would say that it _blew me away_.”

Callum groaned. “I guess I deserve that.”

“And you still have four arcanums to go once you’ve mastered this one!” Ezran spoke as if Callum studying the arcanums caused him great pain.

“We’re never going to be free from the puns,” Rayla agreed. “We’ll just have to live with them.”

“And besides,” added Callum, “I’m not actually mastering them. To do that, I would need to connect to each arcanum, and right now I just rely on external sources of primal energy … hey, knock it off!” he said to Ezran, who had aimed another pea at his head. “I just know the incantations of some moon and sky spells, but I haven’t mastered anything. I can’t actually do primal magic.”

“‘Just know’ is more than most people, Callum. Don't sell yourself short.”

Callum felt his cheeks begin to heat up at Rayla’s compliment and hastily brought the conversation back to the more important topic at hand.

“Tell me more about Princess Aanya. I mean, she’s going to be _my_ sister-in-law.”

“She’s nice,” Ezran responded, shyly. “I mean, she doesn’t seem weirded out by my whole animal thing, and when I told her I don’t really enjoy formal events she told me she didn’t either and we could sneak out together if we wanted.” Ezran paused to eat another bite of his shepherd’s pie before continuing, “Oh, and she’s also a member of the Resistance.”

Callum choked on his water, and even Rayla looked surprised. “What do you mean?” Callum asked once he got his breath back. “No one ever tells me anything!”

“Well, it’s not like we can update you while you two are on-mission, and you’ve only been back for a few days. I decided to surprise you.” “Consider me surprised.”

Callum looked over at Rayla, who had gotten over her shock and was now smiling. _Her smile's like the moon_ , Callum thought wistfully, _All bright and shining and - come on Callum, get a hold of yourself!_

“Well, they’re going to be coming to our castle, right?” Callum asked, dragging himself back into the conversation. “To celebrate the betrothal.”

“Yeah, they’ll be here in two weeks.”

“Even _I_ knew that, Callum, it’s all anyone’s been talking about around here,” added Rayla, shaking her head fondly.

“That gives us two weeks to finish planning,” continued Ezran. “I think we have a real chance to get the Empresses to pass the Dark Magic Act that Aanya and I have been working on. They’ll feel pressured to let Aanya step up in some capacity now that she’s both of age and betrothed.”

“Right,” said Callum. “Which Dark Magic Act is this again? Considering we’ve only been back for a few days and all.”

“We’re trying to make it illegal to use dark magic on elves, just like it’s illegal to use it on humans.”

Rayla paused eating at that, giving Ezran her complete attention. “Do you really think you could get that passed? What’s your argument going to be? There are practically no laws in place to govern how someone treats their slaves. What makes you think the Empresses will approve of this?”

“That’s why we need these two weeks - we need to have a watertight argument, or they may not let it pass.” Ezran sighed. “They care a lot about their human subjects, and about the stability of their empire. I think that if we were to appeal to that somehow, they would pass the Act.”

“We’ll work on it more tomorrow,” Rayla promised. “Now, why don’t you tell us more about your betrothed? How did she come to be a part of the Resistance?”

“I want all the details,” added Callum. “I have to make sure that she’s worthy of my little brother.”

* * *

“Are you ready for this, Aanya?”

She looked over at him, worried. Ezran knew that Aanya, as Princess of the Empire, was constantly in the public eye, constantly putting on a mask, even more than Ezran had to as High Prince. The fact that she let Ezran see her fear was a sign of trust that Ezran treasured. But it did concern him slightly, in this context.

“We should be fine. My mothers want me to take a more active role in the politics of the Empire, and we have a compelling argument. And it would look good for them to pass the law here, in Katolis, seeing as we’re to be married, so it hopefully will be passed before we leave.” She smiled slightly when talking about their wedding, but it didn’t reach her eyes, and Ezran knew she was nervous.

“Listen, the worst thing that could happen is them not passing the Act. And that won’t leave anyone worse off than they are now. Just focus on the argument, and we should be fine.” Ezran hesitated, then pulled her into a hug. “I’m proud of you either way.”

Aanya was tense but eventually allowed herself to relax into Ezran’s arms. “I just feel like this is the only thing that I’m doing to help the Resistance. I can’t afford to mess this up.”

“You won’t,” Ezran promised. “Now, let’s go face the crowds.”

The throne room was busier than usual. An extra throne had been inserted so that both of the empresses could have a seat befitting their station. Ezran, as their host, had been expected to give up his chair, in a demonstration of the Empire’s power. He didn’t mind, though - the throne was stiff and uncomfortable, and he was glad for the chance to talk with the nobles around him in a slightly more equal setting.

The twin thrones were currently empty, though - the Empresses would join and call a council meeting to order only after everyone else had arrived. This tradition was born out of courtesy, Ezran knew - it gave members of the council a chance to float their ideas without fearing the reaction of the Empresses.

Luckily, they didn’t need to wait too long - the Empresses came mere minutes after Ezran and Aanya had been announced. The room became silent as they made their way to the thrones, everyone bowing as they passed. Only Aanya and Ezran did not fully bow, instead leaning forward slightly with a fist over their hearts, as befitted their stations.

“This council meeting will now begin,” announced Empress Neha.

“Special attention in this meeting will be given to the relationship between Duren and Katolis,” continued Empress Anika. Ezran was impressed by how fluidly they spoke, how smoothly they went back and forth.

“And to start us off, Princess Aanya will share with us her proposed legislation.”

“This legislation will be judged by its own merit, and all those who wish to speak may do so.”

The formal introduction finished, Aanya stepped forward, saluted her parents with a fist over her heart, and began.

“Empress Anika, Empress Neha, High Prince Ezran, esteemed councilmembers, and guests: thank you all for being here today.

“As you all know, my ancestor, Emperor Shinyo the Wise, was revolutionary in his measures to protect the Empire from all magical dangers. He was our fearless leader in the battle against Xadia and designed the enchantments that prevent elves from using their arcanums against us. In his wisdom, he recognized the dangers not only of the primal sources but of dark magic left unchecked. Its use was restricted only to those of noble blood, and those who chose to use it were carefully monitored to ensure that they did not lose themselves to its power.

“His foresight was incredible, and these laws are still useful and relevant today. Although some, like the esteemed Lord Viren,” - here she nodded towards Lord Viren, who bowed in response, “-are able to control the great power of dark magic, we hear of unfortunate cases every year of those who tried to dabble in dark magic and were unable to survive.

“Emperor Shinyo made it illegal for dark magic to be used on fellow humans. The Act that I am going to propose today is nothing more than building upon the foundation that he left us, ensuring that magic is practiced in a safe manner, beneficial to the Glorious Empire of Duren.”

Here Aanya paused and turned to face the gathered councilmembers and members of Ezran’s court who had been invited as guests. Ezran couldn’t help but swell with pride as he listened to Aanya - she spoke well, every word measured carefully.

“The Dark Magic Act that I propose would make it illegal to use dark magic on elves, just as it is illegal to use it on humans.”

Ezran could see the shock written on the faces of a few councilmembers, and Lord Viren, in particular, looked as if he had the wind knocked out of him. _Ugh, Callum’s sky arcanum metaphors are getting to me._ But Aanya continued, not giving anyone a chance to object before she could finish her argument.

“We know that Dark Magic can be dangerous to those who use it without knowing what they’re doing. We also know that excess Dark Magic, left unchecked, can lead to instability and insanity in all but the most powerful mages. There is evidence to suggest that using dark magic on a human can also lead them to madness, in addition to the mage, and this was one of the motivating factors in Emperor Shinyo’s decision to ban using Dark Magic on humans.

“After studying this issue over the last few years, I have come to the conclusion that the same principle holds true for elves. My findings are detailed in a report that I will be glad to share with whoever wishes to see, but there is significant evidence that points to this conclusion.”

Aanya turned back to her mothers for the conclusion of the speech. “I speak only with the interests of the Empire of Duren in my heart. Elves going mad is a danger to our entire society, and not something that we can take lightly. Therefore, I beseech the Empresses to hear my proposal and act on it, with the wisdom that they have relied upon to enact all their past laws.”

The formal closing words completed, Aanya stood before her parents, waiting for their response. Ezran was heartened to see that for every councilmember who seemed shocked or angry, there was another councilmember who was nodding, who agreed with Aanya’s speech. _Maybe we can pass this after all._

Both Empresses had been paying strict attention to Aanya’s speech, and Ezran was again impressed by their ability to communicate wordlessly. It did not take long for Empress Neha to lean forward in her chair and say, “Princess Aanya, your Act has merit. There are, of course, many details that would have to be worked out, but we look upon this Act favorably.”

Smiling, Aanya bowed to her parents and turned to the councilmembers again. “I welcome thoughts on this Act, both from the Council of the Empire and from the court of the High Prince of Katolis.”

That was Ezran’s cue. As Aanya’s betrothed, he was expected to support this legislation, and it wasn’t a secret that he had worked on it with her. “Princess Aanya, this Act is favorable in my eyes as well. Your concern for the citizens and the stability of our Empire is evident.”

Aanya thanked him and then turned to Lord Viren. This was another part of their careful performance; Viren was the most likely to disagree with this Act, but it would also look really bad for him to go against it right after Ezran publicly supported it. “Lord Viren, you know the most about Dark Magic of all gathered here. What do you think?”

Viren’s smile seemed incredibly fake to Ezran, but he doubted most others could tell. “I have not, personally, noticed any of my elves going mad, but I am confident that Princess Aanya’s evidence is sound.” He didn’t seem as angry as Ezran thought he would be, and he made a mental note to ask Soren about it later. “The Empire of Duren is, of course, paramount, and if these measures will ensure stability, then I support them.” Viren turned to the Empresses and continued, “As the Empresses know, I have always been a supporter of the legislation governing Dark Magic, and would be honored to offer input on specific details of this Act.”

Aanya asked a few more councilmembers for their thoughts. Most of them were supportive, although one or two were concerned about infringing on the rights of slaveowners to do as they wished with their slaves, rights that were not commonly infringed upon. Aanya managed to answer their concerns with grace, and Ezran couldn’t help but notice the pride written on the Empresses’ faces as they said, “We will convene tomorrow to hammer out the details of this new Act. Now, High Prince Ezran, step forth, and tell us about the harvest in Katolis last season.”

Ezran subtly gave Aanya a thumbs-up as he walked towards the Empresses.

* * *

“I can’t believe it! Ezran, I’m so proud of you!” Two weeks later, the act had finally been passed, and Callum was hosting a celebratory dinner in his chambers to celebrate. Aanya and her mothers had left earlier that day, so it was just Ezran, Callum, and Rayla, as well as Janai and Aunt Amaya, who had arrived a few days ago.

“It was mostly Aanya. Her presentation was incredible. I just helped with the research.”

 _Always so modest,_ Aunt Amaya signed. _But you should be proud, Ezran._ _This is a great day for the Resistance._

They tucked into their meal, but Callum frowned as he noticed Rayla wasn’t eating, instead moving the food around on her plate. “Rayla, what’s wrong?”

She looked up, startled. “Nothing’s wrong.”

“You’re not eating.”

Rayla sighed. “This legislation is incredible, really, but I don’t think it’s going to stop Viren. He never used dark magic on any of us in public, and barely did in front of the other slaves. That’s probably why you said he didn’t seem to oppose the Act - it won’t actually affect him.”

“If he didn’t use it in public and not in front of the other slaves, then when did he use it?” Ezran kicked him under the table, presumably telling Callum that his question was rude.

Rayla didn’t seem to take offense, though, instead answering, “He has this chamber, hidden behind a wall of stone. He drags elves back there, and they never come out. Well, there was one elf who he took behind the wall frequently and didn’t kill, but aside from him, no one who’s gone back there has survived.”

“Why?” asked Janai, signing at the same time. “Why was that elf allowed to live?”

“It was Aaravos, remember, the one I told you about,” responded Rayla. Callum had no idea who Aaravos was, but evidently Janai did, because her face darkened and she nodded.

“That’s how we knew about the dark magic. Aaravos would tell us what happened to the elves taken back there if he managed to find out.”

Rayla hesitated before adding, “That’s what happened to my parents.”

Callum could feel his heart breaking. “Oh, Rayla, I’m so sorry …”

She shook her head, suddenly aware of everyone’s eyes on her. “It happened when I was very young. I’m just worried that Viren will continue his dark magic behind the wall, and this Act won’t stop him.”

 _The only thing we could do is somehow catch him in the act,_ responded Aunt Amaya. _But there’s no practical way to do that. He would never break the law in front of a human._

“And it would need to be in front of a human. Elven testimony doesn’t count in court,” Ezran added, frowning.

“It does count as probable cause for a search warrant, though,” countered Janai. “If we could somehow get that testimony, we’d be authorized in searching his house.”

Callum shook his head. “Rayla said that the entrance is a secret, that no one knows how to get in except Viren. So even if we got a search warrant, we’d need some way to get into that room, and Viren could remove all traces of dark magic from it before it was searched. At best, we’d find an empty room.”

Their plotting was interrupted by a knock on the door. Immediately, Janai and Rayla stood up, moving to the wall. Janai signed _someone’s at the door_ to Amaya, who shifted the plates on the table so that only three could be seen. Callum called out “Who is it?” as Ezran and Aunt Amaya began to eat as if they hadn’t just been interrupted. Callum was impressed by the attention to detail: whoever it was at the door wouldn’t suspect that Janai and Rayla had been eating dinner with them as equals.

The detail was proven unnecessary, however, when Soren called out, “It’s just me! You know, Soren!” from the other side of the door. Grinning, Callum went to let Soren in, Janai and Rayla drifting back to their seats.

Soren spilled into the room dramatically, like he always did, somehow taking up more space and attention than everyone else. It used to annoy Callum, when he was younger and Soren used to bully him. Now, though … “It’s good to see you, Soren! Come in, we were just having dinner. And plotting. Always plotting. Do you want some bread? I’ll make you a bread sandwich if you like.”

“That was one time,” Soren protested, but his heart clearly wasn’t in it. He looked worried and upset.

“What’s wrong?” Ezran asked. “Soren, what’s happened?”

“I have a message. For Rayla.” Callum noticed that Soren wasn’t meeting anyone’s eyes. _Whatever this news is, it must be bad._

Rayla seemed to reach the same conclusion, and she snapped, “Well? What is it?”

“I mean, I’m not really sure what it means? But Ethari said you’d understand …”

“Soren. Tell me.”

“He told me to tell you that Runaan’s been taken.”

* * *

Rayla wasn’t entirely sure how she ended up on the roof. Her legs seemed to move of their own accord. She certainly wasn’t thinking about where she wanted to go, because her mind was caught on Soren’s words; they floated around and wouldn’t give her rest. _Runaan’s been taken. He’s gone._

She managed to hold her tears in while still inside, but once she felt the cool night air whip past her face it was like a dam burst. She stumbled forward until she was leaning against a parapet, legs shaking, gasping in air. For a few minutes, she couldn’t breathe steadily. The words were like a drumbeat: _Runaan’s gone. Runaan’s gone. Runaan’s gone._

Eventually, she managed to get her breathing under control, but her legs seemed to give up on her, and she quickly sat down before her knees buckled.

 _What was it all for,_ she wondered. Rayla had spent years as a Resistance member, fighting for a better future for all elves, and now Runaan wasn’t going to be able to see it. He had been so proud, when he had heard of Rayla’s missions, on those rare nights when she was able to meet with Runaan and Ethari. And now he was gone.

She didn’t know how much time had passed, just sitting on the roof, staring at the stars. She began to feel numb, as though her limbs weren’t there. Distantly, this concerned her. But she didn’t have the energy to act on it. _All the fighting. What was it all for? I couldn’t even keep him alive._ Perhaps if she was a Startouch elf the night sky would be able to answer her. But there were certainly no answers from the moon.

When she was younger, Ethari used to tell her stories to help her sleep at night. On the nights that he wasn’t able to, Runaan would step in. Rayla used to cherish those nights, because Runaan would tell her legends of Moonshadow elves, long ago. Telling the ancient histories was enough for Master Viren to take your voice for a week, if he was in a good mood, but Runaan wanted her to know about her people. He always used to start those stories by reminding her, “If we can remember our past, we have hope for the future.”

_Once, many moons ago, elves lived freely in Xadia._

Rayla would always interrupt after the first line.

_How many moons, Runaan?_

_As many as there are now stars in the sky._

_Where were the humans?_

_They lived in the Empire, as we do now, but back then it was divided into five kingdoms. The humans were not united, and elves lived in peace._

_Tell me about the secret keys!_

_Rayla, you know these stories so well, you might as well tell them over._

_No, Runaan! You tell them better!_

_Very well. Our ancestors used to live under illusions. The only way to enter a village was by dancing, and not just any dance - a specific set of steps that acted like a key. Only those who knew the steps could see the villages._

Usually, the stories moved on to other aspects of Moonshadow history. But Rayla could clearly remember one night when she realized the stories didn’t make sense.

_Runaan, if the Moonshadow villages were hidden by magic, then how did the humans manage to find them? Why didn’t our ancestors just stay hidden?_

Runaan hadn’t looked at her. _How do you think, Rayla? It was Dark Magic._

He never told Rayla stories after that, no matter how much she pleaded with him.

Rayla was so lost in her thoughts that she barely heard the footsteps coming her way. She hastily got up and sighed in relief when she saw it was only Callum. He walked over to her, stopping in front of her, leaving a few feet in between them. “Would you mind if I sit?”

Rayla shook her head, motioning for Callum to sit down. He did, crossing his legs and facing her.

“Rayla, I’m so sorry,” Callum began. “I only met Runaan a few times, but I know how much he meant to you.”

She nodded, refusing to allow any more tears to flow. But she didn’t trust herself to speak, not just yet. Callum seemed to pick up on this and was silent for a few minutes, allowing Rayla time to collect her thoughts.

“Does it ever get any easier?” she eventually asked. “I mean, you lost your mom over a decade ago.”

Callum paused to contemplate her question. “I don’t know if easier is the right word. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about her, but it doesn’t hurt as much when I do. There are still times when I wish I could turn back the clock and see her again, even just for a few moments. But I know she’s watching over Ezran and me, and I’d like to think that she’d be proud.”

“Of course she would be,” Rayla answered. She was beginning to feel her legs again, which she took as a good sign. “I think I’d like to go back downstairs now.”

“You can stay up here for as long as you’d like,” Callum quickly responded. “Don’t feel like you have to come down yet if you don’t want to.”

Rayla felt warmth bubble up in her chest. Callum was always looking out for her, always there to help. “I don’t think it’s good for me to be alone up here for too long. I’d rather go back downstairs.”

Callum stood, and Rayla reached out her hand so that Callum could help her up. He did, steadying her as she stood. Her legs were still a little shaky. For a moment, they just stood there, hands still intertwined, then Callum blushed and turned away.

He had been doing that a lot lately, but Rayla couldn’t focus on that now. So she asked, “Have you guys had any brainwaves about convicting Viren since I left?”

Callum shook his head. “I don’t think there’s any way to actually convict him. We’d need some way of seeing him breaking the law in front of a human, but he’d never let himself be caught like that.”

Rayla gasped, loudly, so loudly that Callum nearly missed a step. “Callum! There is a way!”

“How?” Callum was looking at her dubiously.

“You reminded me of it when you talked about turning back the clock to see your mother again.”

Realization dawned on Callum’s face. _“Historia viventem!”_

“He’ll never see it coming, I don’t think he studies the primal sources,” Rayla continued. “And as long as it’s performed by a human, it can be accepted as evidence. Ezran mentioned as much when he was doing all his research.”

“And Ezran would be the one overseeing the trial, seeing as the Empresses just left. As long as the evidence is admissible, we’ve got Viren.” Callum’s grin faded as he said, “But we’re not able to just break into his house and perform the spell. We would need probable cause, some sort of firsthand testimony, that he went against the Act after it was passed. I don’t know how we can get that evidence.”

Rayla took a deep breath and steadied her hands against her thighs. “Don’t worry. I do.”

* * *

Rayla had refused to tell Callum how she was planning to get the probable cause they needed against Viren until they returned to his Chambers, where Aunt Amaya, Janai, Ezran, and Soren were finishing up dinner. They all stood when Rayla and Callum entered, worry written on their faces, but Rayla didn’t seem to notice, or if she did she made no indication of it. Instead, she glanced over at Callum, seemed to decide something, and stated, more loudly than she usually spoke, “I know how to get the evidence we need to convict Viren.”

“How?” asked Janai, walking forward.

“Callum reminded me of a Moon spell that allows the caster to replay the past -”

“ _Historia Viventem_ ,” muttered Ezran. “But I can’t accept that in court without probable cause.”

“I know,” continued Rayla, “so the solution is pretty clear. We need a firsthand witness to testify that Viren’s used dark magic on an elf after the passing of the Act.”

 _And how will you manage to get one of Viren’s elves to testify against him? He’d never allow them to come to court._ Amaya signed slowly, as if coming to the same realization that Callum just had.

Before either of them were able to react Rayla plowed on, “We wouldn’t be able to get one of them to testify. We would need Viren to perform Dark Magic on someone else, on an elf who would be able to testify afterward.”

Callum felt his stomach drop. “Rayla, what are you saying?”

Rayla wouldn’t meet his eyes. “It makes sense. If you, I don’t know, left me with Viren for a week, I doubt he’d be able to resist. He’s still mad that I ‘ran away’ and humiliated him. And he doesn’t know about _Historia Viventem_ , so he wouldn't have any reason to hold back.”

“It might work,” commented Soren, frowning. “It just might work. And if we go through with this, I’d make sure to check in on you. If you needed to leave, I’d just let Callum know.”

Janai settled against a wall, deep in thought. “We’d need a believable reason for Callum to leave Rayla with him. And Rayla, you’d have to pay careful attention to the way he opens that stone wall.”

Rayla nodded.

 _There’s no guarantee that he will use Dark Magic on you,_ added Amaya. _You’d have to go into the mission knowing that it might prove meaningless._

“I know,” said Rayla. “But I have to try.”

Callum shook his head. “You don’t _have to_ , Rayla. You could opt-out of this and no one would think any less of you. We can figure out another way.” He was dismayed to realize that his voice took on a pleading tone towards the end.

“It doesn’t matter. No one else should have to go through that, and we don’t have _time_ to figure out another way!” Rayla’s voice had been carefully controlled the entire time, but she snapped out her last comment. “Runaan’s been taken, even with the Act in place. Viren could be doing anything right now, and we have a way to stop him!” She took a deep breath, paused, and continued, “You won’t be able to talk me out of this.”

“I wasn’t planning on it,” Callum responded. “But if we’re doing this, it’s going to be planned perfectly. Down to the last detail. Nothing is going to go wrong.”

“I agree,” said Ezran, standing. “Which means that planning it this late isn’t going to help with anything. We should all get a good night’s sleep and meet back for lunch tomorrow to finish planning everything out.” With that, he hugged Callum goodnight and left the room, Amaya and Janai following suit. Soren was hovering awkwardly by the door, mouth opening and closing as if he was impersonating a goldfish.

“Everything OK?” Callum asked, confused.

Soren breathed in deeply, turned to Rayla, and said, “I’m sorry. About everything you had to go through, that I just sat by and did nothing for years. It was wrong. And I’m sorry.”

With that, he left the room, and Callum and Rayla were alone. 

* * *

Rayla was more than used to silence. What she wasn’t used to, however, was Callum’s silence. He hadn’t said anything since Soren left, getting ready for bed without talking. Rayla had become accustomed to Callum’s ramblings and musings and found herself missing them. Which was foolish, seeing as it had been maybe ten minutes, tops. She was just … confused.

“You’re not angry, are you?” Rayla eventually asked, unable to handle the stillness. “About the mission?”

Callum didn’t respond at first, and Rayla had a small moment of _shoot, maybe he is upset_ , but then he said, “I’m not mad. I’m just worried.”

Rayla didn’t really know how to respond to that, but Callum didn’t seem to expect her to. He continued, “You’re always risking yourself for others. Is it so surprising that I’m concerned?” Rayla was confused to hear a touch of defensiveness in Callum’s voice. “You’re not telling me something, Callum. What’s really going on?”

“What do you mean? There’s nothing else to tell. I’m worried about you going back to Viren, that’s all. I mean, that’s not all, that’s kind of a big deal, but there’s nothing else.”

“Then why do you sound so defensive?”

“I don’t sound defensive!”

“Fine, you don’t sound defensive. But please tell me what’s going on.”

Callum seemed to … to deflate, the air rushing out of him. Rayla felt a moment of shock. Maybe something really was wrong, something serious. He shook his head. “It’s not fair to you.”

“Let me be the judge of that.”

“Fine.” Callum visibly steeled himself, then began. “I am worried about you going to Viren. I’m worried about what he might do to you. But if I’m being honest, then yes, I’m angry too.”

Rayla opened her mouth to object, but Callum continued, “Not because of the mission. You have every right to chose to go on the mission if you want. It’s just, sometimes I feel like you have no sense of self-worth.”

“That’s not true!”

“Really? You said earlier that no one else should have to suffer at Viren’s hands. But you shouldn’t have to either. You deserve to be safe and loved just as much as anyone else.”

Rayla looked down. The thoughts swirling around her head that she had been pushing away for the last hour seemed to swarm together, consolidating themselves into one icy-clear fact. “It’s my fault Runaan was taken.”

Callum’s mouth dropped open. “Rayla, what are you talking about? How could it possibly be anyone’s fault except Viren’s?”

How could she possibly make him understand?

“I failed him. I could have done _something_. I could have planned a rescue mission ages ago. I mean, that’s what I do, right? I’m meant to be helping people, but I’m not good enough. I couldn’t keep him alive -”

“Shut up!”

Had Callum lost his mind? Had Rayla just misheard him? “Wait, what?”

“Just shut up, you're talking crazy. Just listen to me. You're too good to feel this bad about yourself. I know that, and you should know that. You have true courage and a big heart. I've seen you get knocked down so many times before, and every single time, you get up again. That's real strength.

“Rayla, you're amazing. You're smart, and fast, and beautiful. You're the most amazing person I've ever met.”

She kissed him.

It wasn’t a planned reaction, wasn’t something she had put any thought into, but all the emotions swirling around her head, all the nice things Callum was telling her, prompted her forward. _Finally_ , she thought. _It’s been long enough_. His lips were warm and soft, and she felt that she could keep kissing him forever, but to her surprise, he pulled away.

“I’m sorry.” Callum sounded panicked, not at all how Rayla was hoping he’d sound after their first kiss. “I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?” Rayla couldn’t understand. Did he think he was a bad kisser? But then why would he sound so anxious?

Callum wouldn’t meet her eyes. “I shouldn’t have made you feel like you had to do that. I’m sorry. You know what, I’ll go sleep in a guest room tonight.” And he actually made as if to leave the room. Rayla grabbed his wrist before he got anywhere, though.

“I don’t understand. You’ve been pining after me for years, Callum.” Callum just gaped at her, so she continued, “I mean, you’d always be staring at me when you thought I wasn’t paying attention, and you’d blush half the times I’d talk to you. Was I wrong?”

“You weren’t wrong,” Callum said faintly. “But why didn’t you say anything? I would have stopped if you mentioned it. I didn’t know you’d noticed.”

“Who says I wanted you to stop?”

Callum didn’t seem to know how to respond to that.

“Callum, I like you. You’re funny and loyal and incredibly talented, and you’re so full of kindness. Do you really find it so hard to believe that I’d like you back?” And she leaned in for another kiss, pulling him closer to her. He melted into it, body pressing against hers, but then he pulled away again, all too quickly for Rayla’s taste.

“I have to know,” he said, breathing heavily, “I have to know that you want this. Not because you’re worried about how I might react, or because you feel you owe me something. But because you want this as much as I do.”

Rayla felt warmth bubbling in her chest. Callum was such a _good_ person. His concern was touching. “You know, LuJanne taught me some pretty cool magic. If I felt threatened, or forced into this, I could just remove all memories of me from your mind and run away. Or I could find your Aunt Amaya, and she’d set you straight. I promise you, Callum, I want this.”

She leaned in for a third kiss, and this time, he did not pull away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok I actually planned this out and wrote an outline and have plot and conflict and stuff. Some of the next (and likely final) chapter has been written, but if you have any questions or inputs or thoughts please share them!
> 
> I actually wrote a section from a non-Callum or Rayla pov, so I'm excited to hear what you think about that! Also about Runaan, and Rayllum finally getting together! I stole some dialogue from the actual show, but it was so perfect that I couldn't help myself.


	5. The End, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callum and Rayla enact the plan and run into a couple of snags along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This IS NOT the last chapter, but it was getting too long so I decided to split it up. I have more written, but it's not complete yet.
> 
> Guys the reaction this fic has gotten is unreal. I treasure every kudos and comment.

They waited until four days before the full moon to enact their plan. That way, Rayla would have the most possible access to her powers, in case something went wrong during the week. She also hid a few vials of medicine under her clothes - not enough to be noticed, but hopefully, it would help some of Viren’s slaves if they needed it.

It was early morning, and Ezran, Soren, Amaya, and Janai were all gathered in Callum’s chambers. Callum was dressed for travel: he would have to leave the city for the entire week.

“Alright, let’s go over things one more time, to make sure that we all know the plan.”

“I’m pretty sure we all know the plan,” Rayla retorted. “It’s all we’ve been talking about for the last week.”

“It’ll make me feel better. I like to plan things.”

“I know,” said Rayla, blushing. That, she discovered, was a side effect of them being officially together - everything that he did sent heat rushing to Rayla’s cheeks.

Janai met Rayla’s eye, raising an eyebrow, which only caused Rayla to blush _harder_. They hadn’t told anyone they were together for the first few days, content to keep it between them, but, as Ezran put it, neither of them was particularly subtle, to people who knew them well.

“Well, my part is pretty simple,” said Ezran, yawning. “I just wait here until Rayla brings her testimony, then go to his house with Callum, watch him perform the spell, and then mete out judgment. I’ll have to give him a chance to defend himself, though,” he added, musingly. “It has to be a legitimate trial or the Empresses might overturn the ruling.”

Amaya nodded. _Janai and I will be here, as well. If we can, we’ll go by Viren’s house on day three or four, but we need to be careful. We don’t want him to become suspicious._

“I’ll check in on Rayla every day. If you need to leave, at any point, I’ll let Callum know and we can call the mission off,” added Soren. “And I’ll try work on the code to get past the wall, but I doubt I’ll get the chance.”

Then it was Rayla’s turn. “Callum and I will leave in about half an hour. Callum will tell Viren that he needs to go somewhere, inconspicuously, for a week, and he can’t bring me with, because elves are the opposite of inconspicuous. He’ll say that Viren is the only one he can trust to leave me with, seeing as I have a history of running and he used to be my master. And then I’ll do my best to provoke him into taking me behind the wall, he’ll use Dark Magic, Callum will come back, and Viren will be convicted.” Rayla spoke quickly, not because she was nervous but because she was restless. “And I have the food and the medication.”

“And I have the Moon Opal, so I can do the spell.”

“You be careful with that,” Rayla warned. “LuJanne only gave me one. If anything happens to it, we won’t be able to convict him.”

“I will be, I promise.”

Soren got up. “I’d better head back before Viren notices I’m gone. Not that he usually notices,” he added, frowning. “But today of all days, we shouldn’t risk it.” Ezran surprised Rayla by throwing his arms around her, pulling her in for a hug.

“You’re so brave, Rayla.” She felt something catch in her throat and didn’t trust herself to respond, but he didn’t seem to expect her to. After a few moments, he pulled away.

Ezran and Soren walked out of the room, Amaya following suit after signing _You’ll do great. I’ll see you soon_. Callum seemed to realize that Janai wanted to speak to Rayla alone, because he said, “I think I’ll step outside for a minute,” and promptly did just that.

Janai waited until he had closed the door behind him before saying, “Do you remember when we first met? Three years ago, in this room.”

“I don’t think that’s a day I’m likely to forget,” Rayla responded.

“You’ve come so far since then. You need to remember that. It can be hard, going back to where you’ve been hurt before, but I want you to hold on to how much you’ve grown.”

Rayla nodded. “I will, Janai. And I’ll see you in a week!”

Janai smiled. “A week. Hopefully less. Now, go find Callum so the two of you can head out.”

* * *

Viren hadn’t noticed as Soren slipped back into the house, but Claudia had. She asked him where he had been, so early in the morning, but seemed to buy his exercising excuse, so he wasn’t worried. He made himself breakfast and sat in the dining room, not eating a bite. The dining room was close enough to the entrance hall that he would be able to hear the handoff, as Janai had dubbed it, clearly.

If everything went according to plan, Soren would hear the entire exchange and report on it later in the afternoon. Of course, as his luck went, things _didn’t_ go according to plan, in the form of Claudia sitting down next to him with her breakfast.

“Hey, Soren!” she said cheerfully and began to dig into her pancakes.

“What’s up, Claudia?” He began thinking of ways to try and get her to leave before Callum and Rayla showed up, and drew a blank.

Claudia shrugged. “I dunno, I feel like we haven’t really had the chance to speak so much lately. You’re always off exercising.”

Soren felt a stab of guilt at that. It was true that he hadn’t been spending much time at home, but exercising was almost always an excuse to hide his Resistance connections.

“Sorry, Clauds. But you know, these muscles don’t maintain themselves!” He grinned at her, for good measure. But for some reason, she didn’t respond, leaving it up to Soren to continue the conversation.

“How’s Kaya?”

Kaya was the Tidebound elf whose life Claudia had saved almost four years ago. She hadn’t been able to save Kaya’s mother, however, and had taken in the elf out of guilt. Now, though, Kaya was like a daughter to Claudia. A daughter who Viren didn’t approve of, Soren thought, but Viren had always been careful not to say anything to Claudia that might upset her. The rest of the world thought that Kaya was just another slave to Claudia, so Soren knew that Viren wasn’t worried about scandal. He just hated elves that much.

“She can read on her own now. I’ve been teaching her the alphabet, and she’s just soaked it up.”

“That’s great,” said Soren, distracted. He could hear Viren walk to the front door and open it, and Callum’s voice floated through to the dining room. Claudia clearly heard it too, because she perked up and stood, but before she made it more than a few steps the door closed behind Viren. _Shoot! They went outside!_ Well, there was no way he could eavesdrop now. He would have to check in on Rayla later and ask her how it went.

“Soren, can I ask you something?”

Soren looked up, surprised. Claudia sounded more serious than she usually did.

“Go for it. I’m all ears.”

“Has dad seemed different to you lately?”

“Different how?”

Claudia seemed to struggle for words for a moment.

“I dunno, he just seems really angry nowadays. It’s been a few weeks, and he hasn’t gotten any better.” She lowered her voice. “I think even the elves are noticing, they’re really skittish all of a sudden.”

 _All of a sudden? They’re always skittish, they’re terrified of Dad, he’s a monster, Claudia!_ Soren wanted to yell. But of course, he couldn’t say anything like that to her, so instead, he said, “I hadn’t noticed. When did you say it started?”

“A few weeks ago. Remember that Act that the Empresses passed while they were here? I think he’s been like this since the Act was proposed, but I have no idea why he would react like that. I mean, it’s not like we use Dark Magic on the elves!”

“You don’t?” Soren asked, confused. Rayla had clearly told them … maybe Viren didn’t tell Claudia about the Dark Magic he did? But that made no sense - Claudia was his apprentice.

“I mean, occasionally we’ll cut some of their hair to use in a spell, but why would we use magic on them? I’m surprised Princess Aanya even suggested the Act, I doubt anything like that ever happens.”

If the plan worked, Claudia was in for a rude awakening. But still, maybe he could get some information out of her. “Claudia, where’s Dad’s magic lab again?”

Claudia laughed. “You know where it is, Soren, it’s right by the library.”

“Right. And do you know of any rooms that are hidden behind a stone wall around here?”

“Callum, you’re talking nonsense.” She rolled her eyes.

“Right, sorry.” Soren paused when he heard the door open again, but if Viren said anything he said it too quietly to be overheard. _Well, that’s one part of the mission that I failed._

His frustration must have shown on his face because Claudia reached out and put her hand on top of his. “Don’t worry, Sor-bear, I’m sure Dad will be back to normal soon.”

Soren sighed heavily. Viren wouldn’t be back to normal, he knew. And if the mission - _when_ the mission was successful, Claudia was going to be devastated.

* * *

The first day had been surprisingly normal. Lord Viren had seemed oddly pleased, after talking with Callum, but sent her downstairs and told her to “make herself useful.” She still remembered her way around, and it didn’t take long for her to find herself in the kitchen. She recognized Kazi, who had taught themself how to read behind Viren’s back, and Nyx, who, Rayla recalled, had a hard time trusting any of the other elves at first. But there were a handful of others who she didn’t recognize. She blended in seamlessly, preparing the vegetables for lunch as the others bustled around her. Kazi and Nyx greeted her warmly but were clearly confused, so Rayla quickly explained that Callum had left her with Viren for the week while out on important business. Neither of them questioned it, but Rayla felt bad for lying. She had never lied to any of the elves at Viren’s house before.

The bell connected to Soren’s room rang around mid-afternoon, and Rayla jumped to answer it. He apologized for failing to listen in to Viren’s conversation with Callum, but Rayla reassured him that the conversation had gone exactly as planned. “Tell Callum that I miss him and that I’m doing fine,” she had instructed him, and Soren promised he would pass on the message. He seemed distracted, though, so Rayla left and made her way back downstairs.

She asked Kazi during dinner preparations where Ethari was, having not seen him all day, but Kazi reassured her that Ethari was fine, he was just out on an errand for Viren and would be back soon.

Ethari arrived just before the slaves were able to have dinner. He had been told that Rayla was on-mission by Soren, she knew, so he wasn’t surprised to see her. But she was overjoyed to see him. They ate quickly, too quickly for Rayla, who had forgotten how little time they had to eat, but she didn’t mind. Because after dinner, they went back to the slave quarters, where she and Ethari could speak freely. Well, mostly freely. She couldn’t mention anything connected to the Resistance in front of everyone else.

“It’s good to see you again, Rayla,” he began, aware of the other elves leaning in to listen to their conversation.

“I’m glad to see you, too.”

And then it was almost normal, everyone laughing and joking around the way they always did, lifting each other’s spirits. Rayla brought out the extra food and passed it around, for which everyone was grateful, and let them know that she had medicine if they needed it. Ethari responded that yes, they could use the medicine, Master Viren had been particularly angry as of late and they were all bearing the brunt of his frustration. Rayla filed that information away for later, hoping to use it in some way to complete the mission.

The day seemed to pass in a daze, one moment slipping into the next, and Rayla found that she was exhausted. There were no beds in the slave quarters, but there was the corner that Rayla had considered her own back when she lived here, and to her pleasant surprise no one seemed to have claimed it. She lay down and mentally prepared herself for an early morning, trying to think of a way that she could anger Viren without him taking it out on any of the other elves.

She woke in the middle of the night, disoriented. She had become spoiled, become used to having as many blankets and pillows as she wanted, and her back ached. But that wasn’t what woke her. In the silence, she could hear two voices, but the darkness hid the identity of the owners. Or maybe she was just too tired to process because they _did_ sound familiar.

“Are you sure she’s alright?”

“I am. I can’t tell you why, not yet, but I can promise you she’s safe.”

A pause, and then the second voice spoke again.

“Have you figured it out yet?”

“I am close, I told you. It should only take me a few more days. But you know that you may not find the answers that you want.”

“I know. But I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t try to find out.”

Rayla’s brow furrowed. Now that she had had a few moments to wake up properly, she was able to identify the second voice as Ethari. The first voice was deep and smooth, scratching at the edge of her memory - Aaravos. Why were Ethari and Aaravos plotting in the middle of the night? She resolved to ask Ethari about it in the morning.

* * *

Callum couldn’t remember a time when he was less focused.

To add authenticity to the claim that he was going away for a week, he actually had to _be_ somewhere else. So he took a room in a town only a few hours away from the palace, a place where the inn owners could be trusted to not babble on about the Prince staying by them. And then, his job was to wait. He had taken his sketchbook, some pencils, and a handful of books that he had been meaning to read for ages. But the books hadn’t even been cracked open yet. Instead, he had spent the entire day alternating between pacing the room and sketching. He had never felt so useless, so completely unable to protect those that mattered to him. He had let Rayla go on a dangerous mission without a guaranteed chance of success. He spent most of the past year with Rayla, and not having her close by felt like he was missing a limb, some integral part of him. And then just when he finally discovered that she felt the same way, they were separated.

Day two was even worse. He didn’t leave his room once all morning, not even when one of the owners of the inn knocked on his door to let him know that lunch was ready if he wanted it. Only late afternoon did he actually do something, and that was because he had seen a messenger-falcon come in with a letter. He went downstairs and was rewarded when the innkeeper told him that the letter was his. He ran back upstairs to open it.

 _Dear Callum,_ the letter read.

_I’m writing to let you know that everything’s going well around here. Our friend says to tell you hi and that they miss you and that they’re doing fine. I can’t wait to see you next week!_

_Love, Soren_

_P_ _.S. DON’T LOSE IT!_

Callum laughed as he read the letter. It was short and lacked detail, but of course, Soren couldn’t put anything incriminating in writing. He was glad to hear that Rayla was okay; it was hard for him to think of anything else. And Soren’s parting advice was sound: Callum was definitely beginning to lose it, cooped up in a motel room with nothing to do. He resolved to go on a walk before dinner, just to get out and breathe fresh air. The walk did him a world of good, and he felt much better going to sleep that night.

The third day, he decided to go for a long run in the early morning, before too many people were out. When he got back, he made some headway into one of the books he had brought with him, drew some more, and went down for a meal. When he got back to his room, he reread the letter from Soren. This time, he realized that Soren might not have been talking about Callum’s mental state at all. It could just as well be a reminder to not lose the Moon Opal.

The Moon Opal had been securely tucked away in the pocket of his traveling shirt, which he had stowed away as soon as he got to the inn. Nevertheless, he decided to check, just to be on the safe side.

He pulled out his rucksack, dumping the contents onto the floor - he had stuffed the shirt at the very bottom to better protect the stone. He picked up the shirt, nose wrinkling at the odor, and reached into the front pocket of his shirt.

His heart stopped.

The opal must have fallen out of the pocket. That had to be it. It had definitely fallen somewhere in the rucksack, which meant it was now spread out somewhere on the floor. He went through every item from the sack, carefully checking that the opal wasn’t caught in any of his clothes. When that proved unsuccessful, he flipped through the pages of his books and sketchbook; the Moon Opal wasn’t there either. Hesitantly, he asked the innkeepers if anyone had been in his room, but they reminded him that he was the only one with a key to get in.

He rushed back to the room, panting. He had failed. He had one mission and he had failed them. He didn’t know how it had happened, but it was undeniable.

The Moon Opal was gone.

* * *

Despite the fact that Rayla was desperately curious to ask Ethari about his conversation, she didn’t get a chance to until the evening of the third day. Their work kept them separate, and Rayla knew that she could not ask him in front of everyone else.

The second day she spent in the “upstairs” part of the house, cleaning and dusting. It made her more visible to the humans, which she hoped would mean Viren would use Dark Magic on her sooner. But he hadn’t done anything, and that night she was tense and on edge. The third day Soren summoned her to “clean his room,” but of course when she got there it was spotless, and Soren told her she could have a break for a few hours if she wanted. He also provided her with some food, which was much appreciated. She spent only thirty minutes there and worked in the kitchen for the rest of the day.

Finally, about an hour before dinner, Ethari stuck his head in the kitchen and announced that he was doing laundry and needed someone to assist him. Knowing that it was an unpopular job, Rayla happily volunteered. Over suds and freezing water, she finally asked him about the midnight conversation.

“What were you and Aaravos talking about, a few nights ago?”

Ethari’s jaw clenched. “Rayla, I don’t think he wants anyone to know about what he’s trying to do.”

“Are you saying I’m not trustworthy?”

“That’s not what I - look, Rayla, he’s doing me a favor, and in return asked that no one know what he’s doing. You know what position he’s in, what he might be risking.”

Rayla paused, hesitating over her next question. “Does it have anything to do with Runaan?”

Ethari stopped moving his hands through the soapy water. He seemed to be deliberating with himself.

“I shouldn’t be telling you this,” he said, almost too quiet for Rayla to hear. “I really shouldn’t. But we’ve been trying to figure out the code to get behind the wall. Aaravos managed it, last night, but he didn’t have the time to look around yet. I know Master Viren does dark magic, but I need to know what exactly happened to Runaan.”

Rayla could feel her throat choking up. “I miss him,” she confessed, shakier than she cared to admit.

“I do, too.”

She straightened. “Ethari, you know I’m here on a mission. I need to know the code, once you figure it out.”

Ethari shook his head. “It’s too dangerous for you to know.”

Rayla raised an eyebrow. “I’m going to be here for four more days, and then I’m out of Viren’s grip. I promise I’m not doing anything stupid. But I really need to know.”

“I don’t even know it myself,” Ethari said. “But I’ll talk to Aaravos and see what I can do.” He began doing the laundry again, and Rayla followed suit.

About ten minutes later, Rayla heard footsteps heading towards the laundry room. She didn’t give it too much thought - maybe someone was coming to help them finish up? The footsteps stopped right by the open doorway, and Ethari, who was facing the door, paled and stood quickly. Rayla felt a sinking feeling in her gut as she quickly did the same, turning to face Viren.

Anxiety combined with anticipation within her - was it finally going to happen? Would they really be able to catch Viren and convict him?

Viren pointed at Rayla. “You, come with me,” he said, turning around and walking away. She managed one final glance with Ethari, whose face had fallen in shock. Hopefully, he would remember that she didn’t belong to Viren and therefore couldn’t be killed.

She followed Viren through the twists and turns, committing the path to memory. She focused on that so as not to think about what was about to happen, which she knew would be painful. _I’ve dealt with pain before. And it’s only four days._

Finally, they made it to the stretch of wall that hid Viren’s chamber. He had her turn around before he entered the code, and although she tried to crane her head around to get a glance, it was too quick for her to follow.

The door slid open to reveal a modestly-sized chamber. There was a table off to one side with a leather coin pouch resting on it, and a pedestal that’s contents were covered by a drape. On the opposite wall were a pair of chains, and Rayla instinctively took a step back. She _hated_ being tied up. _For the Resistance_ , she reminded herself and tried to calm her frantically beating heart as the door closed behind her, locking her in.

She forced herself not to react as Viren manhandled her, shoving her towards the chains and locking them around her wrists. _This is the plan,_ she thought. _Just breathe._ But as the cold metal settled around her wrists, she felt a searing pain within her. It only lasted for a second, but it was enough to knock the wind out of her. As she got her breath back, she realized with a jolt that the chains had the same enchantments that most collars had - she was no longer able to access her arcanum. She struggled through another wave of panic. The arcanum didn’t matter, she tried to reassure herself. She just had to survive the next four days.

The chains weren’t long enough to allow her arms any significant movement, but thankfully she was allowed to stand. When she was good and trapped, Viren took a step back, just looking at her. Observing her. After a minute had passed, Rayla decided to break the silence. “My master won’t approve of this,” she told him. Although it was part of the act, it was also the truth: Callum didn’t approve of the plan, even though he acquiesced to it.

At that, Viren smiled. “Your master’s approval doesn’t matter.” She knew she couldn’t contradict him because she _needed_ him to use dark magic, but he wasn’t done talking. “Oh, I’m sure you’ll tell him, and I’m sure he’ll believe you, but if you think that will affect anything, I’m afraid I have some bad news for you.” And, to her horror, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the Moon Opal.

“Oh yes,” he said, smile widening. “Imagine my surprise when the Prince of Katolis comes to my front door, asking me to watch over his slave, discreetly, for a week, with a _Moon Opal_ in his front pocket. Of course, I couldn’t let someone untrained walk around with a powerful source of primal energy, so I took it from him - a slight confusion spell after I had sent you inside and he didn’t realize what had happened. I doubt he’s even thought to look for it yet.”

“How did you know it was there?” Rayla asked. She was done with the pretenses - the mission was over. Without the Moon Opal, there was no way to bring Viren to justice.

“It practically radiates primal energy. So I took it. But I didn’t quite realize how it all fits together until earlier today. Claudia and I were analyzing the opal, trying to decide what spell to use with it, and she mentioned _Historia Viventem_.”

Viren moved closer to her. “Was that his plan? To catch me breaking the Act? It was well thought out, I’ll give him that. But what I don’t understand is _why_.”

His fist clenched.

“I was like a father to them when Harrow was still alive. And then I gifted you to him, and it all fell apart. I thought it was a considerate gift, something fitting, but he stopped talking to me outside of official functions, he stopped spending any time with my children.”

Viren’s voice lifted as he grabbed her chin, hard enough to bruise. “Did you spin him a sob story so that he wouldn’t hurt you? Did you fill his head with lies about my cruelty? There wasn’t a single punishment that you didn’t deserve!”

He let go of her, stepping back. Rayla felt some measure of relief, as terrifying as her situation was - he didn’t suspect them of connections to the Resistance. He only thought that Ralya had somehow created a breach between him and Callum.

“And now I have you, for another four days, and I can finally make you _pay_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the cliffhanger! I'll do my best to get the rest to you soon.  
> Also sorry about the inconsistent chapter lengths, I know that they're all over the place.
> 
> Let me know what you think in a comment!


	6. The End, Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything comes together. But not always in the way that people expect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! The end of the ride! I hope you all enjoy.

Callum had been beside himself when he realized that the Moon Opal was lost, and made for the stables straight away so he could return to the castle. There was no reason for Rayla to be at Viren’s for another few days if there was no way to prove him guilty. The innkeepers stopped him, however, pointing out that it was too late for him to safely cross through the forest before dark.

That night was consumed with worry for Rayla, what she might be going through. He barely slept, and the moment it began to get lighter Callum was dressed and ready, riding more quickly than he could ever remember riding before. He made it to the city within a few hours, fully intending to go to Viren’s and demand Rayla’s return. But as he weaved through the crowded city gates, he heard someone calling his name.

“Callum!”

He turned, startled, but it was only Soren - although he was a Resistance member, he was also part of the Crownguard and was on shift guarding the gate. Soren turned to the guard next to him and whispered something, to which they nodded, and Soren grabbed the reins of Callum’s horse and pulled him to the side of the gate, where the guards had a supply room. Callum dismounted and followed Soren into the small room, where they could speak freely. Soren’s face was creased into concern.

“Callum, what’s going on? Why are you back early?”

“I’m getting Rayla,” he responded, frustrated that Soren was taking up precious time.

Soren shook his head. “Callum, Viren hasn’t used any dark magic on her yet - well, at least as of yesterday morning; that was the last I saw her. But she needs to finish the mission. I know it’s hard, but -”

Callum cut him off. “There is no more mission.” Then, realizing that he wasn’t making sense, clarified, “I lost it. The Moon Opal. There’s no point in continuing the mission, I have no way to cast _Historia Viventem_ without it.”

Soren paused, considering - Callum wasn’t sure why Soren wasn’t mad at him for failing the mission, but he seemed much calmer than Callum himself.

“I think we should talk to General Amaya and Janai before we do anything.”

“Viren could be torturing her _right now!_ ”

“I know,” Soren responded. “Trust me, I know what my father’s capable of. But please, just talk to them.”

Callum sighed. He knew that Soren was right, but it was still hard to hear.

“I’ll find a cloak so no one will notice you - you can leave your horse here, I'll pick it up later. We’ll talk with Amaya and Janai and decide on our next course of action.”

The walk up to the castle seemed longer than usual, even with people giving Soren a wide berth. When they finally made it, it took them ages to find Amaya and Janai, and Ezran was in an important meeting - they weren’t able to interrupt him, so Callum ended up waiting for over an hour, pacing in his room. When Ezran finally arrived, Callum was finally able to confess.

“I lost the Moon Opal,” he said, looking directly at Aunt Amaya. “I don’t know how, and I’m sorry. But the mission is over. I need to go get Rayla.” Ezran walked over, not saying anything, just to grab Callum’s hand and give it a squeeze.

Aunt Amaya frowned at him, but she didn’t seem angry, just lost in thought. It was Janai who asked him, “when do you last remember having it?”

Callum replayed the last few days in his mind. “I had it before we left. It was in my pocket the whole time I was traveling - it was secure, it couldn’t have fallen out. I packed my shirt away as soon as I got to the inn, and no one came into my room. But then yesterday, it was gone.”

Janai seemed to mull this over. “Perhaps someone broke into your room?”

“The innkeepers told me that no one had. Unless they were in on it. I suppose that’s a possibility.”

“Is there any other way that you’d be able to access the moon arcanum?” Ezran asked hopefully.

“Not unless I forge a connection in the next few days,” Callum groused.

 _Callum, you didn’t mention your stop at Viren’s before your travels. What happened there?_ Aunt Amaya signed.

“I told him exactly what we planned, he sent Rayla inside, I began to walk away, and then …” Callum frowned. He knew that his memory was better than most people’s. He wasn’t used to not recalling something instantly, in crystal-clear detail. “And then …” he repeated, searching his memory. But he drew a blank. Something was wrong.

“I can’t remember what happened next,” he confessed, panic creeping into his voice. “Aunt Amaya, I can’t remember. It’s so fuzzy. I remember turning away from Viren’s house, and I remember riding out the city gate, but I can’t remember anything in the middle.”

 _It’s okay, Callum,_ Aunt Amaya reassured him. _You’re fine. Just breathe._ And he did, deep, shaky breaths, Ezran still holding his hand.

“Did he use Dark Magic on me?”

“It’s possible,” responded Ezran. “Which would be incredibly illegal, so you could add it to the accusations against him if you’d like. Or not - we can figure that out later.”

After a minute, his breathing was under control again, and Janai said, “It seems likely that Viren has taken the Moon Opal, then. Do you think he suspects why Callum had it?”

“If he knew about the Resistance, he’d be halfway to the Empresses by now,” responded Ezran. “I think we’re safe on that count. The real question becomes how to go forward from here.”

“Isn’t it obvious? We go get Rayla. _I_ go get Rayla, I’ll make up some excuse about being back early. She shouldn’t be there for a moment longer than she has to be.”

Soren spoke up for the first time. “What if we found another way to cast _Historia Viventem?_ ” At everyone’s confused looks, he clarified, “We don’t have the Moon Opal. But there are other Moon Opals, right? And other ways to connect to the moon arcanum?”

“There are,” answered Janai, “but we don’t have any close enough. Amaya and I would have to make the trip back to Xadia. It could take months to get there and back safely.”

“We do have some close enough, that’s the thing. Well, we don’t, but we could! Maybe.”

“Soren, you’re not making any sense,” said Callum.

“Well, Viren’s Magic Study is right by the library, and Claudia is able to get in and handle everything there. She was showing me this primal stone of the sky arcanum a few weeks ago. Maybe they have other sources of primal energy. They might have some other way to connect to the moon arcanum. I can ask Claudia.”

Callum opened his mouth to protest, but Aunt Amaya began signing first. _You wouldn’t be able to give away anything to do with the Resistance. And you’d need to be sure that she wouldn’t say anything to Viren._

“I can do both those things,” confirmed Soren. “I know I can. I’ll talk to her today. And I’ll try to check in on Rayla, too.”

“So she has to stay even longer?” Callum asked disparagingly. He wasn’t sure he was able to handle that.

“Not any longer than the original week. We’ll know if we can continue the mission by the end of today and move forward from there,” responded Janai. “We’ll meet again after dinner to discuss.”

* * *

Soren wasn’t completely sure why he had volunteered himself to talk to Claudia. She wasn’t part of the Resistance, and she loved Viren - there was no logical reason that she would help. _But she loves me, too_ , he tried to convince himself as he walked from the castle back home. The only thing that had been going through his mind when he came up with the idea was Claudia at breakfast, a few days ago, saying that she was worried about Viren, that he had been acting differently. It was his only hope - that she recognized that something was wrong. Now if only he could somehow translate that into action, into her giving Callum a way to access the moon arcanum.

Claudia wasn’t in her room or the dining room, but he finally found her in the library, surrounded by books. She was holding her sky stone, and Callum had to jump behind a bookshelf to avoid being blown away as she said, “ _Aspiro_!”

“Watch it, Clauds!” he yelped.

She put down the orb, gasping. “Soren, I didn’t see you there! Sorry!” She got up and moved over to him. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“No, I’m fine.” He sighed internally, completely unprepared to have this conversation.

“Claudia, can I talk to you? Privately?”

She looked at him, amused. “What’s got you being mister serious all of a sudden?” But he just gave her a look, letting her know that now was not the time for teasing, and she rolled her eyes. “Fine, sorry. No one’s around, we can talk here.”

Soren shook his head. “I’d rather talk in my room, or yours. If that’s ok. I’d really rather no one overhear us.”

Claudia’s frown deepened. “Okay, now I know something’s wrong. Sure. We can go to my room, it’s closer.”

She turned to gather all her stuff, and Soren pressed on, “Clauds, I really need this to stay between us. You can’t even tell Dad.”

“Is it about him?” she asked, worry creeping into her voice.

“I guess, yeah. I’ll explain in your room.”

They walked in silence. Soren was surprised that he didn’t see anyone on the way there - not even an elf, walking with their head down. It unsettled him.

Finally, they reached Claudia’s room. She swung the doors open and walked inside, dumping her books and primal stone on her bed. She then practically threw herself on the bed next to them, motioning for Soren to sit in her window seat. He moved towards it but stayed standing, unsure how to begin.

“So, what’s up?” Claudia asked, turning over on the bed so she was facing Soren.

“I need some way to access the moon arcanum.” He winced as soon as the words were out of his mouth. He hadn’t meant to say it so baldly, but he didn’t think that there was any other way for the words to be said.

Under any other circumstances, Claudia might have laughed at him. But she clearly had picked up on the seriousness of his request, because her mouth didn’t even twitch. “Magic can be _dangerous_ if you don’t know what you’re doing. If you need a spell cast, I’d be happy to help you, you know that. And what does this have to do with Dad?”

“I wouldn’t be the one casting the spell,” he objected, frustrated. He had no idea how to convince her. “And I can’t ask you to do the spell either.”

“Why not? Who would cast it? Soren, what’s going on?”

There was no help for it. He wouldn’t tell her everything, but there was no way she’d help them if he didn’t explain at least somewhat.

“Look, Claudia, there’s someone who’s been accused of a crime, or who’s going to be, I guess, and we need _Historia Viventem_ to convict them. Prince Callum would be casting the spell; he’s been studying the arcanum for a while now and it would be safe, I promise.”

Claudia sat up, face creased in concentration. “Soren, what does that have to do with Dad?” And then she let out a strangled gasp. “Is it Dad? Is Dad being accused of a crime? What crime? What happened? Why didn’t I know about this?”

“Claudia, calm down!” Soren wasn’t used to seeing his sister so panicked. “Just breathe.”

After a few moments, Claudia managed to even out her breathing. “What crime has he been accused of?”

Soren didn’t know how to answer that.

“What crime, Soren?”

“The Dark Magic Act,” he blurted out. _Janai is going to murder me._

For some reason, Claudia seemed to find that funny. “Is that all this is about? Soren, people are always trying to accuse Dark Mages of some crime or other. But there’s never any probable cause. There wouldn’t be any point in me giving you a source - it would be illegal to cast it.” She stretched and got up. “Now, if that’s all, I need to go see where Kaya is. I have no idea where she ran off to.”

“You’re wrong.” Claudia turned to him, confused, so he barreled on, “We do have probable cause this time. You said yourself, he’s been angry since the Act passed. He’d have no reason to be angry if he never used Dark Magic on elves.”

Claudia walked over to him, suddenly angry. “And _why_ ,” she snarled out, “would I help convict Dad? I don’t believe it’s true, but even if it is, I would _never_ do something like that.” She turned to leave.

Soren felt his heart sink into the floor. He had been totally unprepared for this conversation. And she was right - why would she try to convict a father who she loved? The whole idea was stupid, and she was sure to go to Viren and tell him as soon as she found Kaya - and then it hit him.

“What about Kaya?”

Claudia paused, her hand resting on the doorknob. “What _about_ Kaya?”

“Listen, if you help me with this, and I’m wrong, then Dad will be mad at me - I won’t even tell him you gave us anything, he won’t know it was you. But if I’m right, and you don’t help me, then Dad would be free to perform Dark Magic on any of the elves in this house. Do you think he’d spare Kaya? He doesn’t like her, he doesn’t like any elves. It’s Dad’s anger at me weighed against Kaya’s life. _Please_ , Claudia.”

Her back was to him, so he couldn’t see her face, didn’t know what she was thinking. When she finally spoke, she was quieter than she had been earlier.

“Dad knows that Kaya’s like a daughter to me.”

“He sees her as just another elf, Clauds. Has he ever shown an ounce of affection for his daughter’s ward?”

She didn’t answer. Soren was content to let her think, so he didn’t interrupt her. Eventually, her hand fell away from the door, and she turned to Soren, defeat written on every line of her face. Soren felt guilt, deep in his gut, for dragging her into this and causing that expression.

“Fine,” she said. “I can’t take that risk. I’ll get you another Moon Opal, we have a few stashed away.” But she wouldn’t look Soren in the eye.

“Thank you, Claudia,” he responded, reaching out and resting a hand on her shoulder. “Thank you.”

* * *

Rayla hung loosely from the restraints, legs too shaky to support her weight. She knew that it was dangerous to force all her body weight to be supported at her wrists, and her hands had gone numb ages ago, but she didn’t have the strength to lift herself up. She was past hunger, but she needed water, desperately. Viren had brought her something to drink the last time he was in the room, but for all she knew that was days ago - she had no way to measure the passage of time. Her sleep came in fitful bursts. All she knew was that four full days could not have passed, because Callum would be back by then.

Her whole body ached, although she knew that there were hardly any marks on her - the spells Viren had used on her seemed designed to inflict pain, not to would or injure. There wouldn’t be any permanent damage, so long as her hands didn’t lose circulation entirely. But the pain still lingered, and if she turned her head she became dizzy.

Viren was smart, smarter than they had planned for. She had been sure that he didn’t study the arcanum, that he saw it as lesser, elven magic. But he had known about _Historia Viventem_. And the spells that he cast on her wouldn’t leave a single mark - there would be absolutely no proof to bring to court. Ezran would believe her, of course, but he wouldn’t be able to convict Viren.

It made everything worse, knowing that the mission had failed, that the pain she was going through was for nothing. But she tried to remember to be strong, to channel Runaan, who had surely gone through something similar in this room. She felt almost as if he was close by, watching over her, although of course, that was a child’s fantasy. It was still nice to imagine, though, that Runaan was nearby, perhaps hidden by one of the magic keys from his stories, somewhere where no one could hurt him anymore.

The door creaked open and she couldn’t help it - she flinched back, struggling to return to a standing position even as her legs ached at the effort. But it wasn’t Viren who entered; it was Aaravos. She almost cried out in relief.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, voice dry. He didn’t answer, instead walking briskly to her and pulling out a flask. He lifted it to her lips, and she could have cried at the taste of cool, clean water. She drank eagerly.

When the water was done, Aaravos tucked the flask away and lifted a hand to her forehead.

“No fever,” he muttered, as if to himself. “Good.”

“Aaravos, what are you doing here?” she asked again.

“You overheard our conversation, the other night.”

“I did,” she responded, bemused. “You can search now; it’s not like the room is very big.”

But Aaravos shook his head. “All that I have found is the bag of coins on the table. And whatever’s under that cloth Master Viren has covered with a multitude of spells; he would know if I touched it. I thought there might perhaps be another hidden entrance within the room, but I do not have enough time to begin searching for that. He could be back any minute.”

“So then why did you come here? If you don’t have enough time to search …”

Aaravos hesitated, then said, “I needed to make sure that you were alright. Ethari told me that you are not mistreated by the prince. But I needed to ask you, myself.”

Rayla shook her head, wincing at the sudden movement. “Callum treats me very well. He doesn’t hurt me, or use me.”

“Good. That is … good,” he responded slowly. “I should have brought you food, but I wasn’t able to sneak any away. If there is anything else I can do, please let me know.” He began to walk away.

“Wait!” she called out.

Aaravos turned back towards her, concern filling his face. “Yes?”

“Do you know how many days it’s been since I was taken down here?”

He suddenly looked very sad. “It’s been two days. Your master should be back the day after tomorrow.”

“Can you pass on a message for me?”

“To whom?”

“Can you tell Ethari, ‘it’s over’? And tell him to pass it on. He’ll know what to do.”

Aaravos nodded and hurried out of the room.

Some time later, although Rayla could not have said how long, the door opened again. This time, it was Soren who came in, and Rayla smiled. Soren, however, did not: he stared in shock, open-mouthed, before shaking his head as if to clear it.

“How did you get in here?” she asked. “Did you get the message from Ethari?”

“I did,” he responded, “and Ethari showed me the code, as well, so we’re good on that count. I’ve already sent word to Callum, but he needs to go back to the woods and pretend to be returning from his trip. He should be here in less than an hour.”

“What do you mean, ‘pretend to be returning?’”

Soren began speaking quickly. “Well, Callum kind of lost the Moon Opal -”

“I know, Viren took it -”

“So he came back a few days ago and he was going to come straight here but we talked with Amaya and Janai and I ended up convincing Claudia to give me another Moon Opal. Then you told Ethari that the mission was complete so now Callum’s on his way. You’ll be free again soon.”

Despite the pain that she was in, Rayla smiled. So there was a point to everything that she had gone through! How Soren had managed to convince his sister to give him a Moon Opal she couldn’t guess, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that Viren would be locked away. And she would be with Callum soon.

“I didn’t know that you had found another Moon Opal. I meant to say that the mission was over because Viren took the original Opal.” She tried to laugh, but the contracting muscles quickly caused her to wince, instead. “It doesn’t matter though, Viren’s done enough to be incriminated.”

Soren nodded. “I need to head out before Viren notices I’m gone, but just an hour and Callum will be here.”

Rayla smiled as he left. An hour and Callum would be back, would take her from the chains and back to the safety of the castle. Only an hour. She could wait.

* * *

Callum could not remember a longer horse ride in his life.

He had snuck to the gates of the city, and then farther, into the forest. He then took the horse that Aunt Amaya had put in place earlier and made sure he was noticed on his way back towards the gates. Of course, once he was noticed the guards insisted on accompanying him, which only made the return journey take longer, and he didn’t want a crowd following him to Viren’s house so he returned to the castle, where Ezran formally welcomed him back, and only then was he finally able to head to Viren’s house.

He wanted nothing more than to push open the door of the house, Viren be damned, and find Rayla himself. But he knew that doing so would not be helpful, would waste all the effort that Rayla had put into the scheme. So he tempered himself and only let himself knock at the door once he was sure that his emotions were in check.

He didn’t have to wait long - Soren opened the front door, nodding to him, and then called over his shoulder, “Dad! Prince Callum is here! Please, come in.”

Callum stepped through into the entrance hall. Vaguely, he recalled playing here when he was younger, him and Claudia and Soren chasing each other around. But now he felt surrounded by cruelty, Rayla’s stories of her time here flitting through his head.

He heard footsteps echoing and turned to see Viren walking towards them, smiling. Hatred boiled up within Callum at the sight of him. He had caused suffering to dozens if not hundreds of elves, had hurt _Rayla_ , and yet was standing there, in his comfortable house, not having faced any consequences for his cruelty. Well, that was going to change.

“Prince Callum, how good to see you! I assume you’re here to pick up your slave? I’ll brink her up in just a minute.” He turned as if to leave, then turned back and said, “by the way, you dropped this the other day.” Viren pulled out a Moon Opal and handed it to Callum.

Why did Viren just hand him a Moon Opal? He looked at it closely. The pattern that he remembered was different than the pattern before him - it was clearly a fake. Viren clearly thought that he had gotten away with it, that the plan was ruined, and that Callum didn’t know that the Moon Opal was fake. Good. They could use that.

He tucked the fake Moon Opal away and turned to Soren. “Did you see her? How is she?” He wasn’t ashamed of the anxiety in his voice. His anxiety only increased when he saw Soren hesitate before answering.

“I … she needs food, and water, and lots of rest. It didn’t look like she had any marks on her, but her wrists were chained and were holding a lot of her body weight, and I could tell by the way she was holding herself that she’s in pain.”

Callum forced himself to breathe evenly, but it was a close thing. _She’ll be here and safe in just a minute. Hold on._

“Everything else is ready?” he found himself asking instead. “Ezran’s cleared his schedule for the next few days?”

Soren nodded.

“Unless Viren has anything up his sleeve, we’ve got him.”

Callum could hear footsteps coming closer, two sets of them. Viren walked into the room, followed by Rayla, three steps behind him. She walked with her head down, shoulders curled inwards, rubbing at her wrists. She looked more like the Rayla he remembered from years ago, scared and uncertain. How much of that was an act? He forced himself to thank Viren and bid him goodbye, then motioned for Rayla to follow him. She did so, still not looking up. Her stride was measured, careful, as if each step she took caused her pain. They walked out, Callum wanting nothing more than to hold her, to take away her pain. He silently thanked fate that Viren’s house was so close to the castle as they weaved their way through the streets. Walking through the castle was even worse - he could hear Rayla’s labored breath as they took the stairs, but finally, _finally_ , made it to his room.

As soon as he closed the door to his chambers and turned around, Rayla stumbled forward and into his arms. Callum held her, words failing him. He was content to just stand there, feeling her presence, reminding himself that Rayla was _here_ , right in front of him, she was safe.

It was Rayla who broke the silence first, still leaning most of her body weight into Callum. “It’s good to see you,” she said, and Callum almost laughed.

“I’m so glad that you’re safe. Do you need a healer?”

Rayla shook her head. “It was mostly pain spells - no lasting damage. My hands are sore, but they’ll get better with some rest. I doubt I’ll be able to use my knives for a few days.”

“I’ll send for some food and water, and a potion to help with the pain.” Callum was still supporting most of Rayla’s weight, so he helped her limp towards his couch before sticking his head out the door and sending one of the guards to get the supplies.

Rayla curled up on the couch, and Callum moved to sit next to her. He didn’t really know what to say - _are you okay_ sounded particularly dim-witted, given what she had just gone through. Instead, he settled for “I missed you.”

Rayla shifted so that her head was resting on Callum’s shoulder.

“I missed you too, Callum.” The words came out muffled, and Callum looked down to see Rayla valiantly fighting to stay awake. He stood up, laying her down gently and heading to the cupboard to grab a blanket for her.

He was startled by a knock on the door, but it was just the guard, returning with toast, fruit, water, and a potion for pain. Callum brought them all over to where Rayla was lying with one eye open and sat next to her again.

She sat up, making quick work of the toast and water. The pain potion she swallowed slowly - it tasted terrible, Callum knew. When she was done, she curled back up, laying her head on Callum's thigh and finally letting her eyes close. He spread the blanket over her carefully.

“What about the trial?” Rayla asked, but her voice was so slurred with sleep that it took Callum a minute to figure out what she said.

“We’ll find Ezran when you wake up. Just rest. You deserve it.”

* * *

Ezran was no stranger to how difficult it could be to preside over a trial. Opeli had officially stepped down as his regent only a few months ago, and although Ezran took an active role before that, this would be the first major trial that involved a noble, which made it even more difficult. As High Prince, he usually had full control over how trials proceeded, but any trial of a noble had to be reviewed by the Empresses, so Ezran knew that nothing could go amiss in the trial.

Which meant giving Viren a chance to defend himself.

He, along with Amaya and Janai, had spent a lot of time over the past weeks trying to figure out what defense Viren might have. If he argued that he was only defending himself, then Ezran would not be able to convict him. But hopefully, the Moon Opal would rule that out.

He sighed, forcing himself to focus. Petitioners would soon enter the throne room, airing their grievances before him. It was his duty to give them all his full attention. They had decided that Callum would bring the case against Viren last so that every case could be heard. Ezran nodded to Opeli, who signaled the guards at the door to let the waiting crowd in. Thankfully, the crowd looked smaller than average, but there was still the air of frustration that always came on judgment days.

The first few cases were straightforward, cases of damaged property or broken oaths. The fifth one was vaguely interesting, the sixth and seventh dull. It was only after he had judged eleven cases that Callum stepped forward. “High Prince Ezran, I come before you today with an accusation against another noble.”

The entire crowd hushed.

Ezran motioned for Callum to continue, and he did, asserting that Lord Viren of Katolis had broken the new Dark Magic Act passed by the Empresses.

“This is a serious accusation,” Ezran responded, leaning forward, repeating the words like an actor in a play. “What reason do you have to say such a thing?”

“Lord Viren used Dark Magic against my own slave. She will speak before the court if you so wish.” Ezran was sure that most people didn’t notice the hint of anger that flitted across Callum’s face as he said the word slave.

“The word of a slave is not enough to convict any man, Prince Callum. Unless you plan to bring forth further proof, this case is moot.”

Callum nodded. “I _do_ plan to bring further proof, in the form of a primal spell that has long been accepted as accurate and legally binding.” Although Callum still faced Ezran, he ensured that his voice was loud enough to reach everyone. “The spell is known as _Historia Viventem_.”

Throughout the hall, whispers began to crop up, spreading like wildfire - although it was legal for humans to use primal magic, it was practically unheard of. Ezran held up his hand to maintain control of the trial.

“As you say, I can accept this proof with probable cause to suspect a defendant. Please bring forth your slave, so that she may testify.”

Ezran hated that Rayla had to testify in front of everyone - she had to put on her scared, broken-down slave act, aided by the bruises wrapped around her wrists. Rayla had promised Ezran just a few hours ago that she was fine, it was no big deal, but Ezran still hated it - hated still more the number of elves in Katolis that needed help but could never get it because their testimony counted only to establish probable cause.

Rayla moved forward, eyes glued to the floor. “I-it is as my master has said. Lord Viren used Dark Magic on me.”

Ezran questioned her, drawing out when, where, and with what spells - Rayla didn’t know their names but answered “they were meant to cause me pain,” with a slight shake that Ezran wasn’t sure was an act. Eventually, he had questioned her enough to justify letting Callum use _Historia Viventem_ , so he, Callum, Rayla, and what seemed like half of Katolis trekked to Viren’s house, journey made longer by the sheer number of people. Nobles didn’t stand trial very often, so it was a novelty that most people weren’t willing to miss.

Woven throughout the crowd were the Crownguard, as well as a smaller group of fighters under Aunt Amaya’s direct command. The Crownguard stuck out, presence enforcing order, but Aunt Amaya’s fighters blended in seamlessly, ready to strike should Viren try and slip away.

Once they made it to Viren’s house, Ezran, Callum, and Rayla moved forward, the crowd silencing and making room for them. Ezran breathed deeply, lifted his hand, and knocked on the door.

A moment passed, then two, then Claudia opened the door. She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes, and welcomed them in, shutting out the crowd.

“Dad’s in the library. I’ll go get him,” she said. “Soren will be here in a moment - I think he’s talking to the elves.” She left them in the entrance hall, but Soren arrived soon after, thrumming with nervous energy.

“I told the elves that they should probably be out of the way when this all goes down - I don’t want Viren to get mad and lash out at them.”

“Good thinking,” said Rayla. “You know, if this all goes well, and Viren is sent to jail, you’re going to end up taking over his title.”

“Lord Soren. I hate it already,” he laughed.

Rayla nodded, tone more serious. “You’re also going to take over this household. And everyone in it.”

Ezran hadn’t thought of that, but it was true - any noble who committed a crime bad enough to be sent to jail for a significant length of time was considered “legally deceased,” and Soren was Viren’s eldest child and heir.

“I know,” responded Soren. “Amaya and I have been talking about it. I’ll let you know some of our plans later-” He cut himself off, for they could hear Viren and Claudia returning.

Viren walked in with the air of a man deeply saddened. Before Ezran had a chance to say anything, Viren began to talk, looking at Callum.

“Claudia has told me that you’ve brought a legal case against me. It breaks my heart, Callum, but of course -” he directed this at Ezran “-you may search the entire house. I promise that you will not find the evidence you seek, for I never committed this crime.”

“Thank you for your cooperation in this matter,” Ezran responded. “I’ll call in my guards and we’ll do this as quickly as possible.”

Rayla led them downstairs, to a part of the house that humans wouldn’t usually be caught dead in, then through a series of tunnels that, judging by Soren’s expression, weren’t known to him before. Viren walked behind them, and Ezran was relieved to know that he was surrounded by guards.

Finally, Rayla stopped in front of a grey stone wall and Soren stepped forward, pressing on the rocks in the pattern that Ezran knew would lead to them opening. Viren breathed in sharply, but Soren didn’t hesitate, instead moving to the side once the wall receded, allowing Callum to enter the room.

Ezran watched attentively as Callum walked into the room. His eyes darted to the chains on the wall, the table with nothing but a coin pouch on it, and the bizarre pedestal in the corner, covered by a thick blanket. Callum pulled out the Moon Opal. Slowly, deliberately, he lifted it, crushed it in his hand, drew the rune, and stated, _“Historia Viventem!”_

* * *

The trouble with _Historia Viventem_ , Callum knew, was that it was an incredible finicky spell. It had the ability to reveal what had happened only a few minutes ago or what had happened millennia ago. The result depended entirely on the caster’s strength and intent. Callum knew that his intent was good - he wanted to prove conclusively that Viren was guilty, so conclusively that not even the Empresses could overturn Ezran’s judgment. The thing was, he was very emotionally compromised at the time of casting the spell, anger and horror mixed with a vague hope that things would work out. He ended up putting in way too much power, and although Spell Viren’s translucent form materialized, the elf that the spell created, hanging limply from the chains on the wall, was not Rayla.

Rayla gasped, loudly, and took a step forward, and Callum realized that the elf was familiar: it was Runaan.

He could hear Real Viren cursing behind him, trying to get away, but Ezran’s guards surrounded him, forcing his arms into the shackles that they used specifically for magic users, stopping him from being able to escape. Spell Viren, however, was talking with Runaan - the spell didn’t repeat conversation, but whatever it was that Spell Viren said, Runaan scoffed at, turning his head away. Callum noticed that one of his horns had been broken off, and instinctively moved a little closer to Rayla.

Spell Viren pulled out a bag of coins - the same as the one on the table in real life - and dumped a handful before Runaan. Runaan looked down, eyes widening in horror. Spell Viren was talking again but eventually seemed to lose patience. He planted his staff in front of Runaan, began a spell, and somehow Runaan was pulled forward into the staff, fear written on his face as clearly as the shock written now on Rayla’s. When the spell was done, Runaan was gone - in his place was a single, solitary coin. Spell Viren picked it up, along with the other coins, and put them back in the pouch, returning it to its place.

“Lord Viren, you are officially under arrest for the crime of using Dark Magic on an elf. Do you have anything to say in your defense?” Ezran’s voice was cold, mechanical. It was like nothing Callum had ever heard from his little brother before.

To Callum’s shock, Viren laughed. “High Prince Ezran, I do not deny that I used Dark Magic on one of my elves. But there was no crime in it - what you just witnessed happened before the Dark Magic Act was passed!”

“That’s not true.”

Callum whipped around - Claudia was speaking, tears in her eyes.

“It can’t be true, because I saw that slave the day that the Dark Magic Act was passed. He was alive and well and certainly not trapped in a coin. Dad, how could you?” Her voice shook with the question.

“Take him away,” Ezran instructed his guards. “Breaking the Act _and_ lying to a High Prince in the middle of a trial? He’ll be shut away for good.”

As soon as the guards had left with Viren, Callum turned to Rayla, a smile on his face. But she wasn’t looking at him. She was at the table, looking through the coin bag.

“They’re all trapped elves. Every coin.”

“What?” Callum was shocked. “Does that mean that they’re alive still?”

Rayla nodded, then turned on Claudia. “How do you undo this?”

Claudia shook her head. “I don’t even know what spell was used, much less the countercurse. I’ll have to look into it.”

Rayla didn’t respond, instead walking towards the pedestal and pulling off the sheet that covered it. Callum gasped - he couldn’t help it. The object under the sheet was a dazzling array of colors, pinks and purples and greens mixed with blues, and it was glowing slightly, illuminating Rayla’s face.

Ezran stepped forward, reaching out and gently touching the glowing shape. “There’s something alive in there,” he whispered. “Hello, little thing. What are you doing here?”

“It’s a dragon egg,” Claudia gasped. “I’ve seen drawings in books, but I never thought I’d see one in real life. Dragons are extinct!”

“Clearly not,” responded Soren. “But how did Viren get one? And why?”

“Let’s talk things over with Aunt Amaya and Janai.” Ezran, ever level-headed, insisted. “I thought we were coming here to arrest Viren, and now we’ve found a dragon egg and a large number of elves who need to be saved from those coins. We shouldn’t make any decisions right away. We’ll leave the egg here - no one else can get in - and Claudia will take the coins and see if there’s a way to help them.”

No one was able to argue with Ezran - he had gotten too good at projecting omnipotence and authority in his position as High Prince. He, Soren, and Claudia walked ahead, leaving Callum and Rayla a few paces behind them.

Callum reached out his hand, holding Rayla’s lightly, thrilling at the contact. After the week they had, he would never take Rayla’s presence in his life for granted again.

“Hey, Rayla?”

She smiled. “You’re about to say something soppy, aren’t you?”

“I get the feeling that we’re about to begin a new adventure, and I just wanted to say that I’m really glad that it’ll be with you.”

Rayla grabbed his shirt, pulling Callum close enough that their foreheads nearly touched. “I knew you’d be soppy,” she replied. “But I’m glad I’m with you, too.” She kissed him, wrapping her arms around him, holding him tight. “And next time you get the urge to say something like that,” she added, breathless, as she pulled away, “feel free to add ‘I love you’ in there somewhere. Because I love you, Callum.”

“I love you, too.”

* * *

_Dear Callum and Rayla,_

_I’m so glad to hear that you and the egg made it safely into Xadia. Callum, make sure to draw every detail of your trip so you can show me when you get back. I can’t wait!_

_Things in the Empire are going really well for the Resistance. Viren’s trial shocked the Empresses - I don’t really think that they hate elves. They’ve probably just accepted the status quo. Well, with some pushing from Aanya, a new round of legislation was passed, giving elves more protection. It’s not perfect but it’s definitely a start. And Aanya has been working on restructuring the economy so when she eventually takes the throne and frees all the elves, it won’t cause a depression. There are some really hard questions that we’re dealing with - do we send all the elves back to Xadia? What if they don’t want to go there? Does the Empire owe any reparations? Should we help Xadia establish itself economically? I have my own opinions, of course, but we’ll have to see what happens._

_Rayla - you’ll be glad to know that all the elves from the coins have been freed, thanks to some creative Dark Magic by Claudia, which I pretended to know nothing about because it was technically Dark magic performed on an elf. But she got them out, and that’s what’s important. I believe Runaan and Ethari will send you their own letter. Soren has (no surprise) proven to be a much better master than Viren ever was, and we’ve begun to use his house as a regional Resistance stronghold. It would be too suspicious if we brought all of Viren’s former elves to Xadia, but we’ve managed to send a few, under the pretense of being sold to someone farther east._

_Take care of yourselves and each other on the journey back. I hope to see you soon!_

_Love, Ezran_

_P.s. Aanya and I were going over laws that would need to be updated once she frees all the elves, and the first ones that came to mind were the laws surrounding marriage. Thought that was something you two might like to know._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, let's just ignore the seventeen million plot holes in this story. They no longer exist.
> 
> I can't believe that I actually wrote something this long and published it. Wow. I really appreciate every review on this story, please let me know what you thought!


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